Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Story of Humanity — Cinematic Edition | Life, Death & What Comes After | 06 Oct 2026 | 02:00:00 | |
What if you could step outside your life for a moment… and watch the entire human story unfold around you? The Story of Humanity — Cinematic Edition is a newly rebuilt and expanded production of the original Story of Humanity. The journey remains at its heart the same—but the experience has been completely reimagined. This edition combines newly refined narration with custom wordless humming, immersive ambience, cinematic transitions, and carefully placed sound design that changes as the journey moves through time. You begin beyond the world you know. Beyond your birth. You travel backward until even the stars disappear… until there is only stillness. And from there, the story begins. You witness humanity through Adam and the generations that follow. You travel through the stories of the prophets—through Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Mary, Jesus, and Muhammad—and encounter the Qur’an and the Ahl al-Bayt. The episode itself follows revelation through Muhammad and then explicitly continues through his family, including Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn. the story of humanity text But eventually, history reaches someone much closer. You. Your birth. And then the journey moves somewhere none of us has yet been allowed to see. Your final day. Your final breath. The grave. The Trumpet. Humanity rising again. The accounting of a lifetime. Mercy. And what comes after. This is not a lecture. It is an immersive guided spiritual journey—created to place you inside the story rather than simply tell it to you. For this Cinematic Edition, the soundscape has been rebuilt around the narration: custom wordless vocal humming, environmental ambience, transitions through time, and individual sonic moments woven into scenes throughout the journey. Some moments are intentionally quiet. Some are meant to feel vast. Some are meant to make you forget, briefly, that you are only listening. You do not have to be Muslim to experience this journey. Find somewhere quiet. Put on headphones if you can. Close your eyes. And listen. Perhaps by the end, the story of humanity will feel a little less like the story of everyone who came before you… and a little more like your story. Read Alfurqan This Cinematic Edition is a newly produced version of the previously released “The Story of Humanity.” The original version remains available for listeners who wish to hear it. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| The Story of Humanity | Original Version | 24 Sep 2026 | 02:00:00 | |
What if you could step outside your life for a moment—and see the entire human story unfolding before you? In this immersive guided spiritual journey, you are invited to become a witness. You travel backward beyond your childhood, your ancestors, and human history itself. You encounter Adam and the beginning of humanity. You follow Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Mary, Jesus, and Muhammad. You encounter the Qur’an and the family of Prophet Muhammad—the Ahl al-Bayt. Then the journey turns toward you. You witness your own beginning. Your childhood. The people who entered your life. The doors that closed. The moments you never understood. The things you lost. The mercies you may never have noticed. And eventually, you arrive at the page none of us has yet been allowed to read: Your final day. From there, the journey moves through death, the grave, resurrection, the accounting of our lives, mercy, Paradise, and finally the realization of the One who was present through the entire journey. This is not a lecture. It is a guided spiritual experience designed to be heard slowly, preferably somewhere quiet, with your eyes closed. There are extended pauses and gentle humming throughout the journey, allowing you to rest, reflect, or even fall asleep while listening. You do not have to be Muslim to listen. Come with an open heart. Perhaps, for a little while, step outside the noise of everyday life and consider the oldest questions human beings have carried: Where did I come from? Why am I here? What will remain when this life is over? And where am I ultimately returning? May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| A Personal Thank You — Help Me Continue This Mission | 02 Sep 2026 | 00:02:22 | |
Thank you for listening to Read Alfurqan. I normally don’t begin my prayers, Qur’an recitations, or sleep episodes by asking you to subscribe, leave a review, or share. I know you clicked on those recordings for a reason, and I never want to get in the way of the moment you came for. So I made this short episode instead. If Read Alfurqan has helped you sleep, relax, pray, find peace, or feel closer to Allah, I would sincerely appreciate your support. Please subscribe or follow, leave a rating or review, and share a recording with a family member or friend who may need it. Your likes, comments, reviews, subscriptions, and shares help the platforms understand that people value this work—and help these prayers reach people I may never be able to reach on my own. Thank you for helping me continue this mission. Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. — Hashem Nabil May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Portuguese] 🇧🇷 Entregando Minha Alma a Allah Nesta Noite | Duá Islâmica para Dormir Profundamente | 23 Aug 2026 | 02:02:17 | |
Quando a noite chega e o mundo finalmente silencia, ainda pode ser difícil fazer o coração descansar. Esta duá islâmica para dormir é um momento de tranquilidade com Allah — uma oportunidade para deixar para trás as preocupações do dia, entregar o futuro ao seu Criador e permitir que a mente desacelere antes do sono. Ao longo desta oração, refletimos sobre a misericórdia e o perdão de Allah, o medo do futuro, o arrependimento, a imensidão dos sete céus, os anjos que O glorificam, a brevidade desta vida e o momento em que nossa alma retorna às mãos de seu Criador durante o sono. Também recordamos uma bela imagem ensinada pelo Profeta Muhammad: a alegria de um homem perdido no deserto que, depois de perder toda esperança, encontra novamente sua montaria, sua água e sua sobrevivência — uma imagem da imensa alegria pelo retorno de um servo a Allah. Esta oração é para muçulmanos, mas também para qualquer pessoa que creia em Deus, esteja buscando por Ele ou simplesmente precise de paz nesta noite. Você não precisa chegar aqui perfeito. Feche os olhos. Que Allah envolva você em Sua misericórdia, proteja aqueles que você ama, alivie aquilo que pesa em seu coração e permita que você desperte em paz, mais leve e mais próximo Dele. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [English] Before I Had a Name, Allah Knew Me | A Deep Islamic Duaa of Gratitude | 13 Aug 2026 | 00:57:33 | |
Before I had a name, Allah knew me. Before I had a voice, He heard me. Before I knew how to ask, He had already begun to provide for me. This is a deeply reflective English Islamic duaa about the life we were given but never earned. A prayer for those moments when we finally stop and realize how much had to happen for us simply to be here. We journey back to before our existence, through the miracle of creation and the womb, childhood, health, food, water, family, safety, freedom, guidance, and the countless forms of protection we may never even know about. We remember those who were given less time than us, those living without the safety and freedom we often take for granted, and the generations who lived before the guidance and opportunities available to us today. We remember Adam and Musa, Yusuf in the well, Yunus in the darkness, and the prophets who taught humanity that what we see is only a small part of what Allah knows. And eventually, gratitude becomes a harder question: O Allah… after everything You have given me… what have I done with the life You gave me? This is not a lecture. It is a private conversation with Allah. A prayer of gratitude, repentance, wonder, surrender, and return. Listen somewhere quiet. Slow down. Close your eyes if you can. And remember how much of your life was already being cared for before you ever knew how to ask. May Allah accept it from me and from you. Peace and abundant blessings be upon Muhammad, upon his pure family, upon all of Allah’s prophets and messengers from Adam to Muhammad, and upon every righteous servant who devoted their life to Him. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [English] Returning My Soul to Allah Tonight | An Islamic English Sleep Duaa for Deep Sleep & Surrender | 05 Jul 2026 | 02:00:35 | |
There are nights when the body is exhausted, yet the heart refuses to rest. The mind wanders through fears, regrets, unanswered prayers, and worries about tomorrow. Sleep feels close, but peace feels far away. This guided Islamic sleep duaa is an invitation to lay every burden before Allah. Inspired by the Qur'an, authentic Islamic supplications, and the timeless tradition of nighttime worship, it gently leads the heart away from anxiety and back toward trust, mercy, and surrender. As you listen, may you remember that Allah knows every fear you carry, every tear you have hidden, every prayer you have whispered, and every hope you have almost given up on. His mercy is greater than your mistakes, His love is greater than your loneliness, and His protection never leaves those who return to Him. This recording contains no music or musical instruments. The soundscape is intentionally simple, consisting only of gentle human humming together with natural sounds such as rain, wind, and ocean waves, creating a peaceful atmosphere that allows the focus to remain on the remembrance of Allah. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, grief, guilt, uncertainty, insomnia, or simply longing to feel closer to Allah before sleep, I pray this duaa becomes a peaceful companion in your nights and a reminder that you never sleep outside the care of your Lord. May Allah grant you a tranquil heart, peaceful sleep, protection throughout the night, forgiveness for your shortcomings, beautiful dreams, and the blessing of waking with renewed faith, gratitude, and hope. 🎧 For the most immersive experience, listen with headphones at a comfortable volume. This is an original English duaa by Read Alfurqan, created for anyone seeking peace, comfort, and closeness to Allah before sleep through the remembrance of Allah. "And He is with you wherever you are." (Qur'an 57:4) I actually think that sentence—"This recording contains no music or musical instruments..."—will answer a question many practicing Muslims have before they even ask it, while remaining accurate and avoiding unnecessary debate. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Arabic] While the World Moves On… | ... وبينما يمضي العالم | 27 May 2026 | 00:44:51 | |
This is a raw and emotional duaa for those the world moved on from. For the oppressed. This recording remembers the loneliness of Yusuf عليه السلام in the darkness of prison, the call of Yunus عليه السلام in the depths of darkness, the fire of Ibrahim عليه السلام when Allah made it cool and safe, and the grief of Yaqub عليه السلام as he waited with a heart full of sorrow and hope. It is a duaa for them. For our numbness. Less edited. More raw. A prayer from a wounded heart. May Allah give relief to the oppressed, freedom to the imprisoned, patience to their families, and life again to hearts that have grown used to pain. Arabic description هذا دعاء خام، مؤلم، وصادق… دعاء للمظلومين… في هذا الدعاء نستحضر وحدة يوسف عليه السلام في ظلمة السجن، ونداء يونس عليه السلام في بطن الظلمات، ونار إبراهيم عليه السلام حين جعلها الله بردًا وسلامًا، وحزن يعقوب عليه السلام وهو ينتظر بقلب مكسور ورجاء لا ينطفئ. هو دعاء لهم… لغفلتنا… تسجيل أقل تهذيبًا… وأكثر صدقًا. اللهم فرّج عن المظلومين، وفك أسر المأسورين، وثبّت قلوب أهلهم، وأحيِ فينا رحمة لا تنطفئ. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [English] Dua Arafah Full | Emotional Islamic Prayer for Forgiveness, Mercy & Healing | 25 May 2026 | 00:20:20 | |
Dua Arafah in English — a deeply emotional Islamic supplication inspired by the spirit and themes of the famous Dua Arafah traditionally recited on the Day of Arafah.
This recitation is intended for English-speaking Muslims, reverts to Islam, and anyone longing to reconnect with Allah through simple, heartfelt words.
This dua reflects on: • Allah’s mercy and forgiveness • Returning after sin and distance • Anxiety, loneliness, grief, and hidden pain • Hope after despair • Healing for the heart and soul • The suffering of Muslims around the world • Gratitude, repentance, and longing for closeness to Allah Listen during the Day of Arafah, the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah, Tahajjud, quiet reflection, or whenever your heart feels heavy. May Allah accept from all of us. Read Alfurqan by Hashem Nabil May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Arabic] دنیا آگے بڑھ گئی… مگر وہ اب بھی قید میں ہیں | दुनिया आगे बढ़ गई… मगर वे अब भी क़ैद में हैं | 18 May 2026 | 00:44:51 | |
ایک ایسی دعا جو خوبصورت الفاظ سے زیادہ ایک ٹوٹے ہوئے دل کی آواز ہے۔ یہ ریکارڈنگ ان مسلمان بھائیوں کے لیے ہے جو قید، ظلم، جدائی اور خاموشی میں آزمائے جا رہے ہیں۔ ان ماؤں کے لیے جو ہر آواز کو خبر سمجھتی ہیں۔ ان بیویوں کے لیے جن کے گھروں میں ایک جگہ خالی رہ گئی ہے۔ ان باپوں کے لیے جو اپنے آنسو چھپا کر گھر کو سنبھالتے ہیں۔ اور ان بچوں کے لیے جو ظلم کو نہیں سمجھتے، مگر فراق کو محسوس کرتے ہیں۔ اس دعا میں یوسف علیہ السلام کی تنہائی، یونس علیہ السلام کی تاریکیاں، ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی آگ، موسیٰ علیہ السلام کی واپسی، اور یعقوب علیہ السلام کا انتظار یاد کیا گیا ہے۔ یہ دعا مظلوموں کے لیے ہے… اور ہمارے اپنے دلوں کے لیے بھی۔ یا اللہ، ہمارے بھائیوں کو ثابت رکھ۔ ان کے دلوں کو جبر دے۔ ان کے گھروں کو دوبارہ روشنی دے۔ اور ہمیں ان لوگوں میں نہ بنا جو سنتے ہیں، روتے ہیں، پھر بھول جاتے ہیں۔ यह दुआ सुंदर शब्दों से ज़्यादा एक टूटे हुए दिल की आवाज़ है। यह रिकॉर्डिंग उन मुस्लिम भाइयों के लिए है जो क़ैद, ज़ुल्म, जुदाई और ख़ामोशी में आज़माए जा रहे हैं। उन माँओं के लिए जो हर दस्तक को ख़बर समझती हैं। उन पत्नियों के लिए जिनके घरों में एक जगह खाली रह गई है। उन पिताओं के लिए जो अपने आँसू छुपाकर घर को संभालते हैं। और उन बच्चों के लिए जो ज़ुल्म को नहीं समझते, मगर जुदाई को महसूस करते हैं। इस दुआ में यूसुफ़ عليه السلام की तन्हाई, यूनुस عليه السلام की अंधेरियाँ, इब्राहीम عليه السلام की आग, मूसा عليه السلام की वापसी, और याक़ूब عليه السلام का इंतज़ार याद किया गया है। यह दुआ मज़लूमों के लिए है… और हमारे अपने दिलों के लिए भी। या अल्लाह, हमारे भाइयों को साबित रख। उनके दिलों को जोड़ दे। उनके घरों को फिर से रोशनी दे। और हमें उन लोगों में न बना जो सुनते हैं, रोते हैं, फिर भूल जाते हैं। May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Arabic] A Duaa for Hard Times | دعاء في أوقات الشدة | 10 May 2026 | 00:21:18 | |
A heartfelt and emotional duaa for anyone facing hardship, sadness, fear, uncertainty, or emotional exhaustion. دعاء مؤثر وخاشع لكل من يمر بضيق، حزن، خوف، أو تعبٍ نفسي وروحي. This recitation is a humble call to Allah for mercy, relief, forgiveness, healing, and peace during life’s most difficult moments. هذا الدعاء هو نداءٌ متضرع إلى الله طلبًا للرحمة، والفرج، والمغفرة، والسكينة في أوقات الشدة والابتلاء. Episode Notes: في هذه الحلقة، يُتلى دعاءٌ مؤثر لكل من يحمل ألمًا في قلبه أو يمر بمرحلة صعبة في حياته. This duaa asks Allah for: هذا الدعاء يتضمن طلب: اللهم فرّج هم المهمومين، واشرح صدورنا، وارحم ضعفنا، واغفر لنا ذنوبنا، وردّنا إليك ردًا جميلًا. If this recitation touched your heart, share it with someone who may need comfort tonight. إذا لامس هذا الدعاء قلبك، فشاركه مع من قد يحتاج إلى السكينة الليلة. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Arabic] دل کو رُلا دینے والی دُعا | मुसलमानों के लिए दर्द भरी दुआ | 10 May 2026 | 00:21:18 | |
اس قسط میں ایک پُرسوز اور دل کو نرم کر دینے والی دعا پیش کی گئی ہے۔ یہ دعا مظلوم مسلمانوں، غمزدہ دلوں، اور اُن تمام لوگوں کے لیے ہے جو اللہ کی رحمت اور سکون کے طلبگار ہیں۔ موضوعات / विषय: • اللہ کی رحمت اور مدد کی امید • امتِ مسلمہ کے لیے خیر اور اتحاد • دل کا سکون اور روحانی راحت • توبہ، مغفرت، اور اللہ کی طرف رجوع اللهم انصر المسلمين المستضعفين في كل مكان، وارحم ضعفنا، واغفر لنا ذنوبنا. اگر یہ دعا آپ کے دل کو چھوئے، تو اسے دوسروں تک ضرور پہنچائیں۔ May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Arabic] 10 Hours of Islamic Sleep Duaa, Quran & Tasbeeh | Deep Sleep, Protection & Peace | دعاء النوم والقرآن الكريم | 26 Apr 2024 | 10:00:00 | |
Sleep with the remembrance of Allah. This 10-hour Islamic sleep audio combines bedtime duas, Tasbeeh Fatimah al-Zahra (AS), and the Quranic Mu'awwidhat (Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas), creating a peaceful environment for sleep, reflection, and spiritual comfort. Whether you are winding down after a long day, looking for Quran before sleep, seeking protection through the Mu'awwidhat, or simply wanting a calm Islamic background throughout the night, this recording was created to accompany you until morning. May Allah grant us peaceful sleep, protection from harm, forgiveness, and a heart that remembers Him even while resting. اللهم باسمك نحيا ونموت، وإليك النشور. النوم على ذكر الله من أعظم النعم. يحتوي هذا التسجيل الممتد لعشر ساعات على دعاء النوم، وتسبيح فاطمة الزهراء (ع)، وسور الإخلاص والفلق والناس، ليكون رفيقًا هادئًا أثناء النوم والراحة والتأمل. نسأل الله أن يجعل ليلتكم سكينةً ورحمةً وحفظًا وبركة. नींद से पहले अल्लाह का ज़िक्र दिल को सुकून देता है। इस 10 घंटे की रिकॉर्डिंग में सोने की दुआ, तस्बीह फ़ातिमा अल-ज़हरा (अ), और सूरह अल-इख़लास, अल-फ़लक़ तथा अन-नास शामिल हैं, ताकि आपकी रात शांति, सुरक्षा और आध्यात्मिक आराम से भर जाए। अल्लाह हम सबको सुकून भरी नींद, सुरक्षा और बरकत अता फरमाए। May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Arabic] नींद की दुआ, तस्बीह और कुरान। आरामदायक। सुखदायक । Sleep Duaa & Tasbeeh & Quran. Relaxing. Soothing | دعاء النوم وتسبيح فاطمة الزهراء والمعوذات | 23 Apr 2024 | 00:27:00 | |
इस शांतिपूर्ण पॉडकास्ट एपिसोड में, जिसका शीर्षक है "Sleep Duaa & Tasbeeh & Quran. Relaxing. Soothing | دعاء النوم وتسبيح فاطمة الزهراء والمعوذات," हम अपने श्रोताओं को एक सुखदायक ध्वनि परिदृश्य में ले जाते हैं जो मन को शांत करने और आत्मा को सुख देने के लिए डिज़ाइन किया गया है। इस एपिसोड में चुनिंदा दुआ (प्रार्थनाओं), फातिमा अल-ज़हरा की तस्बीह (भक्ति संबंधी जप) और कुरान के मु'अव्विदात (सुरक्षा के छंद) के सुखदायक पाठ प्रस्तुत किए गए हैं, जो रात्रि में आध्यात्मिक आराम के लिए आदर्श साथी हैं। जैसे ही आप रात को सोने के लिए तैयार होते हैं, इन पवित्र ग्रंथों की कोमल, गूंजती हुई ध्वनियों को आपको शांति और तनावमुक्ति में लिपटने दें, जिससे आध्यात्मिक शांति में लिपटी एक आरामदायक नींद फोस्टर हो। चाहे आप लंबे दिन के बाद विश्राम की तलाश में हों या सोने से पहले शांति का क्षण चाहते हों, इस एपिसोड को आपकी आरामदायक रात के लिए आध्यात्मिक सुख के सुखद आलिंगन में आपका मार्गदर्शक होने दें। In this tranquil episode of our podcast titled "Sleep Duaa & Tasbeeh & Quran. Relaxing. Soothing | دعاء النوم وتسبيح فاطمة الزهراء والمعوذات," we immerse our listeners in a serene soundscape designed to calm the mind and soothe the soul before sleep. Featuring a curated selection of Duas (prayers), Tasbeeh (devotional chants) of Fatimah al-Zahra, and soothing recitations of the Quranic Mu'awwidhat (verses of protection), this episode is a perfect spiritual companion for nighttime relaxation. As you settle in for the night, allow the gentle, reverberating sounds of these sacred texts to envelop you in peace and tranquility, fostering a restful sleep enveloped in spiritual well-being. Whether you're looking to unwind after a long day or seeking a moment of peace before drifting into slumber, let this episode be your guide to a restful night enveloped in the comforting embrace of spiritual serenity. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| [Arabic] सुबह और रात की सुरक्षा के लिए अल-मा'उथत तीन बार | al-Ma'authat Three Times For Morning & Night protection | المعوذات ثلاث مرات للتحصين في الليل والنهار | 22 Apr 2024 | 00:09:10 | |
Unlock the power of spiritual protection with "Al-Ma'authat Three Times." In this audio, delve into the profound significance and benefits of reciting the three Quls - Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Nas - three times each, as a form of seeking refuge and spiritual fortification. Discover the soothing rhythm and melodious recitation that accompany these sacred verses, fostering a sense of tranquility and connection with the divine. Join us on a journey of faith and spiritual renewal as we explore the timeless wisdom encapsulated within the recitation of the Ma'authat, invoking divine protection and blessings upon the listener. اكتشف قوة الحماية الروحية مع "المعوذات ثلاث مرات". في هذا الصوت، استكشف أهمية وفوائد تلاوة القولات الثلاث - سورة الإخلاص، وسورة الفلق، وسورة الناس - ثلاث مرات لكل منها، كشكل من أشكال اللجوء والتحصين الروحي. اكتشف الإيقاع المهدئ والتلاوة الممتعة التي ترافق هذه الآيات المقدسة، مما يعزز الشعور بالهدوء والاتصال بالإله. انضم إلينا في رحلة الإيمان والتجديد الروحي حيث نستكشف الحكمة الخالدة الموجودة في تلاوة المعوذات، داعين إلى الحماية الإلهية والبركات على المستمع. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 45. Surah al-Jathiyah | سورة الجاثية | 20 Mar 2024 | 00:10:38 | |
This chapter was revealed in Mecca; and all Meccan chapters discuss or describe the fundamentals of faith. Its title comes from verse 28 in which the kneeling of all people on the Day of Judgment is described. This 37 verses chapter address some of the arguments put forward by those who are skeptical about the truthfulness of the Quran. Emphasis is placed on God’s signs in the universe and on the painful punishment that will be the fate of those who refuse to believe. The arrogance of the disbelievers is compared to the Greatness of God. Verses 1 – 6 Signs of God’s powerChapters 40 to 46 of the Quran begin with the Arabic letters Ha and Mim. The use of these Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in a total of 28 chapters of the Quran. The reason for this is the subject of much scholarly debate, however, the precise answer is known only to God. Following these letters, something about the Quran is usually revealed. In this chapter, we are told that this book, the Quran, is revealed by God. Those who believe, see the signs that point to this in the heavens and on the earth. The creation of the human being and all other creatures is also a sign of God Almighty’s power for those with certain faith. The alternation of day and night, the rain that falls at God’s command reviving a previously dry barren earth, and winds blowing at God’s discretion are signs for those who can use their power of reasoning. These are the true verses from God recited to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. If they do not believe in these revelations what will they believe in? Verses 7 – 17 Be grateful for God’s gifts to humankindGod promises anguish to the lying, sinful people who hear His words recited yet persist in arrogance as if they did not hear anything. These people ridicule God’s verses, and for doing so, they will receive a humiliating punishment. Hell is before them, and what they did of good in this world will not help them at all, nor will the things they set up as partners with God. Their punishment will be great. This Quran, this revelation, is guidance, and those who reject will face nothing but a painful torment. It is God who controls the seas, and your ships sail on them by His command, in order that you can seek His bounty and give Him thanks. Everything in the heavens and the earth is at your disposal; they are for humankind’s benefit—it is a gift from God. Should you not be grateful? This too is a sign for those who think and reflect. Prophet Muhammad, tell the believers that they should forgive those who do not believe or expect God’s days of retribution. God Himself will recompense them for how they behaved in the world, according to what they earned. Whoever behaves well does so for his own benefit, and whoever does evil harms only himself. And then, all will be returned to Him. The Children of Israel were given scripture, wisdom, and prophethood. They were provided with all kinds of good things; God even preferred them over others. They were given clear proof about matters of religion. After knowledge came to them, they differed amongst themselves and became rivals. On the Day of Judgement, God will judge between them. Verses 18 – 26 Is good equal to evil?Prophet Muhammad is told that he has been set on a clear path. He must follow it and not be distracted by those who have no knowledge, and they cannot help him in any way. The wrongdoers have only each other, the believers however, are under God’s protection. This revelation is insight for many, and it is a source of guidance and mercy for the believers. Do those who commit evil really think that God will deal with them in the same way that He deals with the righteous? Do they imagine that their living and dying will be the same? It is evil to assume this. God created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; to reward each person according to their deeds. Have you seen the person who takes his own desires as a god? God allows him to stray even when he is surrounded by knowledge. His ears and heart are sealed, and his eyes are covered. Where could he find guidance after God has done this? What more do you need to take heed? They say that there is nothing but the life in this world, but how do they know that? It is only a guess they have no real knowledge. When God’s revelations are recited to them, they ask for their forefathers to be returned to them. Prophet Muhammad should answer their request by saying that it is God who gives life and causes death. He will then gather everyone on the Day of Judgment. That is a day of which there is no doubt, but most people do not understand this. Verses 27 – 37 Kneeling before GodControl of everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to God, and when the fateful Hour comes, those who follow falsehood will lose. Every community will be seen kneeling (before God), and every community will be summoned and handed their record, because everything has been recorded. Those who believed and were righteous will be admitted into God’s Mercy. This is a clear triumph. Those who disbelieved will be asked why they ignored the revelations. They are reminded that when God’s promise was explained to them, they replied that they knew nothing of the Hour and considered it conjecture. The evil of those actions will then become apparent to them when the punishment they mocked engulfs them. God will ignore them on that Day just as they ignored Him. Because they ridiculed God’s revelations, the Fire will become their home. They will never leave, and making amends is not an option. Praise be to God, the true Lord of the heavens, the earth, and all the worlds. All Greatness belongs to Him, and He alone is All-Mighty and All-Wise. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 44. Surah al-Dukhan | سورة الدخان | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:08:36 | |
This chapter was revealed in Mecca; and all Meccan chapters discuss or describe the fundamentals of faith. The title, The Smoke, is derived from verse ten in which a smoke-filled day is depicted. The majority of scholars believe that this refers to a sign of the Day of Judgment. Its fifty-nine verses highlight the mercy of the Quran and address the stubbornness of the powerful and wealthy oppressors among the Meccan elite. It compares them to the people of Pharaoh and the people of Tubba. We are told that the righteous will enjoy the bliss of Paradise while the oppressors, and those who considered themselves mighty in this world, will find torment waiting for them in Hell. Verses 1 – 16 God warns us about the smokeChapters 40 to 46 of the Quran begin with the Arabic letters Ha and Mim. The placement of Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in a total of 28 chapters of the Quran. The reason for this is the subject of much scholarly debate, yet the precise answer is known only to God. When we read these letters, we usually find that something about the Quran is mentioned directly after them. God tells us that the Quran is a scripture that makes things clear. God sent the Quran down to humankind on a blessed night, the Night of Decree, that occurs in the last part of the month of Ramadan. This is the night in which God uses His Wisdom and Knowledge to decide every matter. God has always sent messages, and this Quran is another message. God hears and knows everything. He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, therefore pay attention to this if you consider yourself to be a true believer. There is no deity but He, the One who controls life and death. He is your Lord and the Lord of all your ancestors. Some people are in doubt and amuse themselves, but they should be watchful for the day that is filled with smoke. The smoke will envelop the people causing them to cry out that it is a terrible torment. Then they will beg their Lord to remove the punishment at the same time declaring their belief. How will this sudden faith help them? They were sent a prophet, but they belied him and called him mad. God will hold back the torment, but indeed the disbelievers will slip back into disbelief. The Day will come when they will be seized and assaulted. God will then exact retribution. Verses 17 – 33 The people of MosesGod explains that the people of Pharaoh were also tested. He sent the messenger Moses to them. Moses asked that the believers be set free from bondage. He also explained that he was a trustworthy messenger from God. He asked the people of Pharaoh not to be haughty then sought refuge with God from any harm they might cause him. They became aggressive even though Moses asked them to leave him alone, so he supplicated to God requesting that he be rescued from the people of Pharaoh, who were indeed criminals and evildoers. God answered his supplication and advised Moses to organize the Children of Israel and enable them to slip away from their tormentors under the cover of night. They were pursued, however, the Red Sea parted for them. When Pharaoh’s people entered the divided sea, it closed over them, and they drowned. Nothing in the heavens or the earth wept for them. The people of Pharaoh left behind gardens and springs, cornfields and buildings, and many other things that delighted them. God ordained that it all be inherited by another people. The Children of Israel were chosen above all others, even though God was aware of their weaknesses, and they were given revelations that contained clear tests. Verses 34 – 42 The people of TubbaThe elite of Mecca said that they would not be resurrected after death and asked that God return their forefathers if the resurrection was in fact true. God responds by asking if they imagined that they were better than the people of Tubba and those before them? (Tubba was an honorific title used by the kings of Yemen for several generations.) The disbelievers of Makkah have not been able to attain the prosperity and splendor that these people attained, yet because of their moral degeneration they were destroyed, and their worldly splendor could not save them. God was not playing a pointless game when He created the heavens and the earth. They were created for a purpose, but most people fail to understand this. The Day of Judgment is the appointed time for them all. It is a day when relations and friends cannot help one another. The only ones helped will be those to whom God shows Mercy. Verses 43 – 59 Contrasting Paradise and HellThe food for the sinners will be from the tree of Zaqqum. It is like murky oil that churns inside their bellies, like the boiling of hot water. One will be seized and dragged into the middle of the Hellfire, where scalding water will be poured over his head. Here he will be taunted and told that this is all the honor he gets in the Afterlife because he claimed that he was honored upon the earth. This is the place they argued about; however, in contrast, the righteous will be in a secure place surrounded by gardens and springs. They will be wearing fine silk and brocade garments and have spouses with large beautiful eyes. They will be secure and content, requesting all kinds of fruit. They will only suffer one death and will be eternally protected from the Hellfire. This is a great bounty from God. The Quran has been made easy to recite and remember. It has been revealed in the language of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, to facilitate this. Wait, God tells Prophet Muhammad, for God is also waiting. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 43. Surah al-Zukhruf | سورة الزخرف | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:18:11 | |
This eighty-nine verse chapter was named after the golden ornaments mentioned in verses thirty-five and fifty-three. It was revealed in Mecca and thus addresses the fundamentals of the faith. God refutes some of the claims made by the disbelievers including the notion that a true prophet would be wealthy and that God had taken some of the angels as His daughters. The Meccan disbelievers were steeped in superstitions, and God exposes and refutes them. Verses 1 – 25 The errors of the disbelieving MeccansThe first verse consists of two disconnected Arabic letters. Ha Mim. God has not conveyed any particular meaning to these letters; however, they have been the subject of much scholarly debate. Usually after these letters we are taught something about the Quran. God swears by the glorious Book (the Quran) that makes things clear. He has made it an Arabic Quran for ease of understanding for those to whom it was first revealed.[1] It is from the original book, The Preserved Tablet that is kept with God and in which all the revelations are written. Should God turn this revelation away from the Meccan disbelievers because they are insolent? There have been many transgressors before them, each rejecting and mocking their prophets, and many were stronger and wealthier than the disbelievers of Mecca. God destroyed them. It is God who made the world a habitable place, added rivers and highways, and sent down rain from the sky to revive barren lands. He created all things in pairs and gave humankind ships and livestock to enable them to move from place to place. All things were created for the use of humankind, yet they do not remember or are thankful; rather they attribute partners to Him. The disbelieving Meccans believe that Allah took angels as His daughters, yet they are dismissive of their own daughters and pray only for sons. If one of them is told of the birth of a daughter, he becomes sad. They believe the angels are female, but they were not witnesses at their creation. They claim that if God had not wanted them to worship angels, they would not have done so. But God asks sardonically if perhaps they were given another book He does not know about. Following their ancestors is their excuse, and many before them have claimed the same thing. The prophets brought better guidance than what their people found their forefathers upon, but many disbelieved them. In the end those who disbelieved were punished. Verses 26 – 45 There is only One GodAbraham renounced what his father and people worshipped. He worshipped God alone, and he bequeathed those words to his descendants so that they could always return to the truth. As time passed the people of Mecca forgot and then God sent Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. They accused him of being a sorcerer and wondered aloud why the Quran was not sent to a greater, more distinguished man. God gives the honor of prophethood to whomever He wills. Worldly riches and possessions have no significance in the sight of God; had there been no danger of people being inclined towards unbelief in pursuit of this world, He would have filled every disbeliever's house with riches. These things are nothing more than comforts of this worldly life. God reserves the bounties of the Hereafter for the righteous. Those who turn away from the revelations are assigned a devil as a companion. They think they are guided to the right path, but on the Day of Judgment, they will wish the devilish companion had never come near them. Those companions cannot save them from punishment. And having companions in the punishment will not console them. Prophet Muhammad is told that he cannot make the deaf hear or the blind see. If they choose not to listen to the message, he cannot force them to change their minds. They will be punished whether he lives to see the punishment or not. Just spread the message, he is told, because he is on the straight path, and he and the believers will be questioned. Verses 45 – 78 Moses and JesusMoses was sent to Pharaoh, and his people were afflicted with scourge after scourge. They expected Moses to pray to God to lift the afflictions in return for their following the guidance, but they broke their promise time after time. Pharaoh claimed he was better than Moses and questioned why Moses did not wear gold ornaments or come with angels. The Egyptians were defiantly disobedient; God drowned them and made them an example for the nations that followed. When Jesus, the son of Mary, was mentioned as an example of a person being worshipped with God, the disbelievers laughed between themselves as to who is better, the son of God or the daughters of God. They argued trying to provoke and challenge the believers. Jesus was a servant of God and an example of God’s infinite power (by creating him without a father) for the Children of Israel. He is a sign of the coming of the Hour, so do not let Satan mislead you from the straight path. He brought wisdom to the Children of Israel saying God is my Lord and your Lord so worship Him alone, yet the factions among them disagreed, and they will suffer a grievous punishment. The Day of Judgement will come all of a sudden without warning, and then even friends will become enemies. There will be no fear for God’s righteous servants on that Day. They will be delighted to be entering Paradise and will be given everything their hearts desire and their eyes delight in. The evildoers however will remain in the punishment from which there will be no relief. Verses 79 – 89 God devises a planThe disbelievers devise a plan to ruin Prophet Muhammad, but God devises a plan too. He hears their private conversations so too do the angels who are recording their every word or action. God tells Muhammad to say that if the Lord of Mercy had offspring, he (Muhammad) would be the first to worship them but He does not. He is far above what they say. So they blunder along and play until they face the promised doom. God is far above their false descriptions and Exalted is He who has control of the heavens and the earth and everything in between them. He knows the Hour when all will be returned to Him. Those deities invoked besides God have no power of intercession. And if you ask the disbelievers who created them, they will definitely say God. So how is it that they are so deluded when it comes to worshipping Him alone? God is aware of Prophet Muhammad cry that his people persist in disbelief, but God advises him to bear with them and respond with peace, because in the end they will come to know and understand. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 42. Surah al-Shura | سورة الشورى | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:16:59 | |
The Consultation is a fifty-three verse chapter revealed in Mecca. The name is derived from the word consultation that is mentioned in verse thirty-eight describing the characteristics of a community of believers. Being a Meccan chapter revealed before the migration to Medina it concentrates on the fundamentals of faith, in this case, God’s all prevailing power and wisdom. Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is reminded that he cannot force people to believe and that he is only required to deliver the message. Verses 1 – 9 All power belongs to GodThe first two verses are Arabic letters. Ha Mim, Ayn Seen Qaf. They are five letters from among various combinations of fourteen letters that open twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. God did not reveal what meanings they may or may not have. Usually after these letters we learn something about the Quran. In this case, God says that He sent His revelation (Quran) to Prophet Muhammad, as He sent revelation to other messengers before him. The heavens almost break apart because of their awe of God’s majesty. The angels glorify and praise God; while begging forgiveness for the people on earth. As for those who worship other than God, God is watching what they do, and Prophet Muhammad is not responsible for them. Thus this Quran is revealed in Arabic.[1] It warns the residents of Mecca and surrounds that there will be a Day of Judgement when some will go to Paradise and others will go to the blazing Fire. If God wanted He could have made you a single nation, but He did not. He takes into His mercy those who desire His guidance and the wrongdoers have no one to help them. God gives life to the dead, and He has power over all things. Verses 10 – 19 The truth is made clearGod judges all disputes. He makes mates for you from among yourselves (and the animal kingdom too) in order to multiply your numbers. The keys to the heavens and the earth belong to Him. And He gives abundantly or sparingly to whomever He wills. God has ordained for you, the same way of life (Islam) that he ordained for Prophets Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Those who associate others with God find it difficult to accept what you (Prophet Muhammad) invite them to. Long ago they were one religion but became divided out of rivalry. So invite them back to God. Tell them (Prophet Muhammad) that you believe in what God has revealed and say that there is no need for argument, the truth has been made clear and those who refuse do so out of stubbornness and worldly desires. Those who argue with the truth will have a terrible punishment. God has sent down the Quran in truth and justice so what will make you understand that the Hour is near. It is only those who do not believe in it that want to hasten its coming. Those who believe in it are fearful. Verses 20 – 31 A harvest in the HereafterThose who desire Paradise in the Hereafter will have their rewards increased many times over, but those who desire the luxuries of this world with no thought of the Hereafter will have what they desire but they will have no share in Paradise. Or have those that they worship besides God ordained a religion God does not know about? They think they are living a great life, free of morals and manners, but on the Day of Judgment their punishment will be a painful one. Those who believe and do good deeds will be in the gardens of Paradise. This is good news and a great bounty. Prophet Muhammad asks for no reward for this good news, and those who do good deeds will be repaid many times over. How can people say Muhammad has invented a lie about God? God blots out falsehood and vindicates the truth. He knows what is in the hearts, accepts repentance, answers prayers, and gives more to those who believe and do good deeds. If God sent plentiful provision for everyone some would act insolently, so He provides in due measure. He sends relief after people have lost hope and He spreads mercy. The creation of the heavens and the earth and the living creatures are among His signs. He can gather them together at any time. You cannot escape God and He is your only Protector. Verses 32 – 43 Forgiveness is betterShips sailing on the seas are among His signs. They drive through the ocean like mountains, but He can bring them to a standstill or sink them with violent winds. Whatever pleasure you have been given is no more than a fleeting enjoyment of this worldly life—what is in the Hereafter is better and more lasting. It is for those who believe and put their trust in Him, avoid major sins, forgive when they are angry, establish prayer, determine their affairs by consultation, spend from what God has given them, and defend themselves from tyranny. The retribution for an evil act is one like it, but forgiveness and reconciliation are better. But those who avenge themselves are not blamed. The blameworthy are those who oppress others and act with injustice. They will have a painful punishment. Verses 44 – 53 Only deliver the message. God retains all controlThere is no protection for those God sends astray.[2] They will face the punishment and hope there is a way back. But they will remain in lasting torment and have no allies to help them. So respond to your Lord before this Day comes and the punishment cannot be averted. But if they turn away Muhammad, you are not responsible; your duty is only to deliver the message. God does not speak to human beings except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or through a messenger such as the angel Gabriel. And so We have revealed to you Muhammad, an inspired book, this Quran. You did not know of this Book and faith before, but We made it a light by which to guide whoever We choose. And Muhammad, you guide to a straight path, the path of God, Who owns everything in the heavens and on the earth. Everything will return to God. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 41. Surah Fusilat | سورة فصلت | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:18:31 | |
This is a fifty-four verse chapter revealed in Mecca and thus it examines the fundamentals of faith. The title ‘Explained in Detail’ refers to an Arabic term used to describe the Quran in verses three, and forty-four. The chapter presents some of God’s signs and warns against denying them. It also explains what happens to the unbelievers that refuse to acknowledge the truth and submit to God. Verses 1 – 12 God creates the universeChapter forty-one begins with the letters ha, meem. They are two letters from among various combinations of fourteen letters that open twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. God did not reveal what meanings they may or may not have. Usually after these letters we learn something about the Quran itself. In this case, God says that this Quran is a revelation from Him in the Arabic language and it is a book in which the verses are explained in detail. It gives good news and a warning, but most people do not listen. They make up all sorts of excuses. God says, ‘Do whatever you want,’ and so will He. Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, calls to the disbelievers telling them he is just a man. God revealed that He is One, so take the right path and beg for His forgiveness. Woe to those who associate anything with God, those who refuse to pay the obligatory charity, and those who refuse to believe in the Hereafter. As for those who believe and do good deeds their reward is never-ending. Prophet Muhammad asks how they can deny the One who created the earth in two days. How could they set up rivals to Him? He is the Lord of all creation! He placed mountains on the earth and bestowed and measured out all His blessings in four days before He turned His attention to the heaven. In two days He made the heaven into seven heavens and each had its task. Verses 13 – 25 Learn from the pastThose who turn away are warned about a blast like that which struck the communities of Ad and Thamud. When Ad was warned they didn’t listen, behaved arrogantly, and denied their messenger. They were given a humiliating punishment. The people of Thamud were offered guidance, but they too preferred to remain blind. A thunderbolt struck them, and God saved the believers. On the Day when God’s enemies will be gathered and led to the Hellfire, their ears, eyes, and skins will testify. They will ask their skin, ‘Why did you testify against us?’ And it will reply that God gave them the faculty of speech. You didn’t bother to hide what you were doing from your eyes, ears, and skin, thinking they would never testify against you, but nothing is hidden from God. What you thought led you to ruin and you became losers. The Fire will be their home, and they cannot make amends. God is fully aware of their corrupt hearts, so He allows evil companions to befriend them and convince them that what they are doing is fair and good. They are lost. Verses 26 – 44 Consider your optionsAnd the disbelievers say, ‘Don’t listen to the Quran and be disruptive when it is recited.’ For denying God’s revelations they will be punished with Hell. The disbelievers there will ask to be shown those who misled them so that they can trample them underfoot. As for those who say Our Lord is God, and follow the straight path, the angels will descend upon them and say, ‘Have no fear, rejoice in the good news of Paradise. We are your friends in this world and in the world to come where you can have anything your heart desires as a welcome gift from your Lord.’ Who speaks better than someone who calls people to God, does what is right and declares his devotion to God? Good deeds are not equal to evil ones. Repel the bad deeds of others with your good deeds; the person who was your enemy will become your close friend. But only those who endure patiently and are fortunate will attain this quality. If you are tempted by Satan seek refuge in God. The night, the day, the sun, the moon, are just a few of God’s signs. Do not bow down to them but rather bow down to God, the One who created them, if you are truly His worshippers. If the disbelievers are too arrogant, remember O Prophet Muhammad that the angels who are with God glorify Him tirelessly—He is in no need of creation. And among God’s signs is the barren land. When God sends down rain, it stirs itself into life. He who gives the land life is surely capable of raising the dead back to life on the Day of Resurrection. Those who distort God’s message are not hidden from Him. Consider who is better, the one who is hurled into the Fire or the one who goes through the Day of Resurrection safely? Do whatever you want because God sees everything you do. The Quran is unassailable, falsehood cannot touch it; it is a revelation sent down from the One worthy of praise. If the Quran was revealed in a foreign language, they would have said why was it not revealed in Arabic? The Quran is a guide and a healing for those who have faith. And the ones who do not believe, neither listen nor understand as if they are being called from a faraway place. Verses 45 – 54 How far astray are you?He who does good does so for his own soul, and he who commits evil does so at his own peril. God is never unjust. God alone knows when the Hour will occur. No crop ripens nor does any female conceive or give birth, but He knows it; nothing is hidden from Him. The One Who possesses detailed knowledge of the most minor things cannot be unaware of the acts and deeds of people. On that Day the deities the disbelievers used to worship will fail them, and they will realize that there is no escape. People never tire of praying for good, but when evil touches them, they despair. And after they are saved, they doubt the Hour will ever come and assume that even if they are returned to God, they will still be treated well just because they were treated well in this world. However, having a comfortable life in this world is not a proof of God being pleased with you. This life is a test and people are tested in different ways. The disbelievers will learn the truth of what they have done and taste a serve punishment. When God bestows favors people turn away, but when evil befalls them, they invoke God with lengthy supplications. If this Quran is really from God just how far astray does that make you? God’s signs will be clear everywhere until the truth becomes clear. They doubt they will meet their Lord, but He encompasses everything. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 40. Surah Ghafer | سورة غافر | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:27:38 | |
It is generally accepted that this chapter was revealed directly after chapter thirty-nine. Thus, it was revealed in Mecca and is one of the chapters that examine the fundamentals of faith. It reminds us of God’s signs and favors and gives glimpses from the story of Moses and Pharaoh with life-changing lessons for us. It also provides reassurance to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. Verses 1 – 23 Signs and revelationsThis chapter begins with the Arabic letters Ha and Mim. The placement of Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in this and 28 other chapters of the Quran. The reason and the meaning for this is the subject of much scholarly debate, however, the answer is known only to God. This Book is sent down by God, the Almighty, the Forgiver of sins, the Accepter of repentance, and the One Who Bestows blessings. None has the right to be worshipped but Him. Only the disbelievers dispute His revelation, so do not be deceived by their prosperity and luxurious life. In the past, the people of Noah and other communities tried to destroy their messengers and refute the message. But it was God Who destroyed them with a terrible punishment, condemning them to the Fire. The angels who carry and surround the Throne celebrate the praise of their Lord and ask for forgiveness for the believers, and that they be admitted to Paradise and kept safe from the Fire. God shows His signs such as sending water down to sustain life, yet no one learns a lesson from this except those who turn to Him. So be sincere no matter how much the disbelievers dislike it. He is the Lord of the Throne and sends revelations to whomever He wills. On the Day of Judgement each soul will account for their actions and no injustice will be done. Have they not traveled and seen what happened to those who were mightier in strength and numbers? God destroyed them and they had no one to defend them because they repeatedly rejected their messengers. Verses 24 – 38 An excellent speechMoses was sent to Pharaoh, Haman, and Korah with God’s authority but they called him a magician and a liar. They rejected the truth and ordered the sons of the believers to be killed. Finally, Pharaoh said he wanted to kill Moses himself. And Moses sought refuge with God. A believer among the relatives of Pharaoh advised him to think carefully about why he would kill a man who might be speaking the truth. Pharaoh knew Moses was right but lied and said he was only saying what he believed to be right and that he was guiding to the right way. The believing advisor warned his people against how previous disbelieving nations were destroyed. He reminded them about Joseph who came with clear signs, but their doubt remained. Rejecting the truth with clear signs is a despicable attitude, and God seals the heart of the arrogant ones. Pharaoh persisted in his rejection and defiance, and his schemes led only to destruction. The believing advisor urged people to follow the right way. He said that this life was only temporary while the home in the Hereafter was permanent. He invited them to Paradise while they invited him to the Fire. God saved him from their terrible plots, and the people of Pharaoh were taken over by a terrible scourge. Verses 46 – 60 God’s promise is trueOn the Day of Judgement, the people of Pharaoh will enter the severest part of the Fire. They will argue with each other about who led who to destruction and beg for relief. They will be reminded about their messengers and told their pleas would be in vain. God supports the messengers and the believers. Certainly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a much greater creation than the creation of humankind. Yet most people do not understand. Those who can see and those who cannot are not the same. Good and wicked deeds are not the same and the Hour will come! Verses 61 – 85 God’s creationGod made the night for rest and the day bright to make our day to day activities easy. He is the Creator of all things; none has the right to be worshipped except Him. Why then are you deluded? The earth is a settlement place and the sky a canopy. God molded your form and perfected it, then provided you with good things. He is One and there is no deity but Him, so call on Him and be sincere to Him. O Prophet, tell your followers that you have been forbidden to worship what they worship and you have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds. God created you from dust (referring to Adam), then from a sperm-drop, then developed you into a clinging clot, then you are born from the womb of your mother, and He allows you to grow to your full strength and maturity before you reach old age and the appointed term of your life, although some of you may die sooner. God gives life and death. He only says ‘Be’ and it is. Those who deny the Quran and that which the messengers brought, will soon know the consequences of their deeds when they are punished in Hell with chains around their necks being dragged through scalding water. They will be asked about those they associated with God and will admit that they have failed them. Prophet Muhammad is advised to be patient because God’s promise is true. There are stories of the messengers he knows and stories he does not know. But all messengers could not bring a sign unless it was by the permission of God. The people of the past who were destroyed were mightier than you in strength and numbers. Their power was of no avail. When God’s scourge overcame them, they cried out that they now believe! But it was of no use to them. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 39. Surah al-Zomar | سورة الزمر | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:24:45 | |
This chapter of seventy-five verses was revealed in Mecca. Its title comes from the word zumar mentioned in verses seventy-one and seventy-three. The majority of chapters revealed in the Meccan period dealt with the fundamentals of faith and this one is no exception. This chapter contrasts the believers with those who ascribe partners with God. People are free to choose, we are told, however choosing the right path before it is too late is urgently recommended. Verses 1 – 20 Refuting polytheismThis revelation (the Quran) is from God, sent down to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. The religion acceptable to God is that none be associated with Him in both worship and obedience. Those who justify their actions saying we only worship others to make them closer to God will be judged by God and find that He does not guide those who lie and disbelieve. If God intended to have offspring, He could have chosen anyone from the creation, but he is far too exalted for such a thing. He created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; the night and the day wrap over one another and the sun and the moon run in their orbits for a specified time. He created humankind from a single person (Adam) and from him He made his wife (Eve). God created livestock in pairs and creates people in their mother’s wombs one after the other in threefold darkness (the stomach, the uterus, and the amniotic membrane). God has control; there is no deity but Him. How could you turn away? God does not need the disbelievers, and He does not like ingratitude. He likes to see gratitude, and no soul will ever bear another’s burden. When returned to God He will tell us the truth about what we did in this life. When adversity touches humankind, they call upon their Lord, but when He bestows blessings, they turn away and forget Him. Is the person who prays in the night and fears the Hereafter like the person who does not? Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Those who do good will have a good reward. Say I am commanded to worship God and obey none but Him and I fear a terrible Day. The losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Judgement; they will be under layers of fire. Those who shun the worship of false gods are the people of understanding, and they will have dwellings built for them in gardens under which rivers flow. This is God’s promise. Verses 21 – 35 Actions have consequencesGod sends down rain, it brings forth vegetation which later withers and dies at His command. This is a reminder—every rise has a fall, therefore do not be charmed by this world and its glitter and forget God and the Hereafter. Some walk in the light, others have hearts that have hardened, and they have completely lost their way. Is the one who is to be punished like the one who is secure? The wrongdoers will taste the chastisement they earned. Many in the past denied God, but the punishment came upon them suddenly, and the punishment in the Hereafter will be far worse. Everyone will die, and on the Day of Resurrection, many will dispute with one another in God’s presence. Who is more unjust than the person who lies about God? Hell is the abode of the disbelievers, and the righteous will have whatever they desire. Verses 36 – 54 Make a choiceIs God not enough for His servant? The disbelievers threaten Prophet Muhammad with what they worship other than God. If God allows a person to stray none can guide him, but if He guides someone none can lead him astray. They say that God created the heavens and the earth, so ask them why do they invoke something other than God! Can they remove harm; can they give or withhold mercy!? Whoever follows the guidance of the Quran does so for his own benefit and whoever goes astray does so at his own peril. When God is mentioned, the hearts of the disbelievers shrink with aversion, but if an idol is mentioned, they are happy. And God will judge between those who differ. Even if the wrongdoers have everything in this world, and more than that, they would certainly offer it to ransom themselves from the punishment on the Day of Judgement. God will then show them something they did not expect—their evil deeds plain to see and they will be overwhelmed. When adversity touches a person, he calls on God, but when he receives a blessing, he attributes it to his own knowledge. It is a test, and people in the past were tested in the same way. Today’s wrongdoers will be hit in the same way the people of the past were hit by the evil effects of their deeds. One can always turn back to God—never despair of His mercy because He forgives all sins of those who repent and correct themselves. Verses 55 – 75 Those driven in groupsFollow the Quran before the punishment comes, and you are regretful. Those who lied about God will be punished, whilst those who did well will be delivered to a place of safety. God created everything; the keys to the heavens and the earth are His. Why worship something other than God when you have been warned both now, and in the past, about the danger of ascribing partners to God. Your work will become worthless, and you will be among the losers. On the Day of Resurrection, God will roll up the heavens in His right hand, the trumpet will sound, and everyone will fall down senseless except those who God spares. The trumpet will sound again causing everyone to stand upright. The earth will shine, the book of deeds will be opened, and the prophets and witnesses will be called. Fair judgment will be given, and those destined for Hell will be led towards it in groups. The gates will be opened, and they will abide there eternally. Those who feared God will be led to Paradise in groups. The gates will be opened, and they will be greeted with words of peace. They will praise God. The judgment is perfect. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 38. Surah Sad | سورة ص | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:16:42 | |
The thirty-eighth chapter of the Quran was revealed in Mecca and like all Meccan chapters it emphasizes the fundamentals and basic concepts of Islam. Sad’s eighty-eight short verses discuss the Oneness of God, the Day of Judgment, and the previous prophets. It compares the arrogance of the unbelievers of Mecca to the arrogance found in previously destroyed nations, and with the arrogance of Satan. Verses 1 – 17 God swears an oathThis chapter begins with the Arabic letter sad. The use of one or more Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in this and 28 other chapters of Quran. The reason and the meaning of this is the subject of much speculation, however the answer is known only to God. God swears an oath by the Quran, the book that serves a reminder to all of humankind. Those who disbelieve are occupied with nothing but arrogance and defiance. God has destroyed many generations before them for such arrogance and every one of them cried out in despair but it was too late. A warner has come to them (Meccan disbelievers) from among themselves but they do not accept this, and call him a liar or a magician. Why would the message be sent to him (Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) they think to themselves and say, did he turn all the gods into One God? Don’t believe him, hold fast to your religion, the religion of our forefathers. They doubt because they have not yet tasted the punishment. Do the disbelievers possess God’s treasures or have control over the heavens and the earth? If so let them ascend and dictate to God. They are just an armed alliance that will be crushed. The people of Noah, and Aad and Pharaoh denied their messengers. The people of Thamud, and Lot and Midian formed alliances against their messengers. They all called their messengers liars; God’s punishment was justified. They wait for nothing but a single blast heralding the Day of Judgement and they will wish that they could have their punishment in this life. Prophet Muhammad is advised to bear their words and be patient. Verses 18 – 29 DavidRemember God’s servant David, who sang the praises of God. He was joined by both the mountains and the birds. God strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom, sound judgment and discerning speech. There is a story of two litigants who climbed over a wall alarming David in his prayer chamber. They asked him to judge between them. David passed judgment and realized that he had been put into this position as a test from God. He sought forgiveness for any errors, such as fear and suspicion of the two men at the outset, and any mistakes in judgement he might have made, such as not being impartial in his judgement. God forgave David and reminded that he was a vicegerent on earth, who should rule with justice and not follow his own desires. Those who stray will face a severe punishment. The heavens and earth and all that is in between were not created without a purpose. Those who do well are not treated the same as the ones who do mischief. The blessed Quran has been sent down so that humankind can ponder its verses and learn a lesson from it. Verses 30 – 48 Solomon and JobGod gave David a son, Solomon; he was an excellent servant to God. He became obsessed with his beautiful racehorses and became distracted from remembering God. He realized his mistake and sent the horses from his sight. (Some scholars say that he slaughtered them). Solomon was tested and he became so ill that he was like a walking skeleton. Solomon repented and turned back to God. Solomon asked for forgiveness and more power than anyone else would ever have. God gave him power over the wind and the jinn. And remember God’s servant Job when he called out in distress because Satan had afflicted him with suffering. God gave him cool water and restored and multiplied the family members that had deserted him. God relieved Job of the oath he made to beat his wife by instructing him to strike her with blades of grass.[1] God’s servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were men of vision; Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul Khifl were outstanding among men. Verses 49 – 64 In the HereafterThis is a reminder, the gates of Paradise will open to the righteous and their provision will never end. In contrast, the rebellious and wrongdoers will burn in Hell with other punishments of various kinds. The followers will be thrown in after their leaders. Some will pray that their leaders be doubly punished and they will all wonder why the ones they used to ridicule were not there with them. The people of the Hellfire will continue to argue and blame one another. Verses 65 – 88 A conversationProphet Muhammad must tell them that he is only a warner and that there is no deity but God. He delivers a mighty message which they choose to ignore, and he has no knowledge of what is discussed in the heavens. Prophet Muhammad knows only what is revealed to him. The discussion was between God, the angels, and Satan. God told the angels that He was going to make a human being out of clay and that when he was done they should bow down before it. They did, all of them except Satan (sometimes called Iblees), because he was arrogant. Satan thought himself better than Adam (the human being) because he was made from fire rather than clay, so God banished and cursed him until the Day of Judgment. Satan asked for respite until that Day and he was granted. He swore to God that he would use the time to mislead all human beings except the ones that are sincerely devoted to Him. God told Satan to listen to the truth; He intended to fill Hell with Satan and all of his followers. Prophet Muhammad must tell the people that the Quran is a reminder and that he does not ask for any payment, nor does he pretend to be something other than a man with a message and a warning. In time, everyone will know that he speaks the truth. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 37. Surah al-Safat | سورة الصافات | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:16:37 | |
Those Ranged in Rows was revealed in Mecca. Those chapters revealed before the migration to Medina tended to concentrate on monotheism; the Oneness of God. This one is no exception and thus establishing a firm faith is its aim. In 182 short verses this chapter also covers other issues; it affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and refutes pagan beliefs. Verses 1 – 10 God is OneThree groups are mentioned in the form of an oath confirming God’s Oneness. The first are angels standing in rows, the second are the angels that reprimand and thirdly those angels that recite God’s words. God then mentions something about Himself that attests to His Oneness that He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in-between including every point from which the sun rises. God has fortified the sky closest to the earth with celestial bodies that guard against the devils who try to eavesdrop on the conversations of the angels. They are attacked from all sides with flaming meteors. Verses 11 – 39 The disbelieversThe Prophet is then instructed to question the disbelievers of Mecca about whether they considered their own creation to be more difficult or the creation of the heavens, earth and all creation in the universe. The Prophet marvels that humankind was made from clay but the disbelievers mock and call him a sorcerer, once again denying the Resurrection. It is an undeniable fact that after just one shout they will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment. The angels are ordered to gather the disbelievers and wrongdoers together and drive them towards Hell. Along the way they will be questioned about why they did not help each other towards the truth. The disbelievers will accuse their deities who are also being ushered along but they will deny any power over the disbelievers. It does not matter because on this day they will be partners in the punishment meted out. They denied God and the message and will get what they deserve. Verses 40 – 74 Paradise or Hell?The happiness and bliss that God’s true servants will experience in the gardens of delight is described, including flowing rivers of wine and beautiful companions. The inhabitants of Paradise will converse with each other. One person will ask about a friend who did not believe and will be able to see him in the midst of the Fire. Then they will realize how blessed they are for they have achieved the supreme triumph. This should be everyone’s goal. To contrast the difference between Paradise and Hell, God asks what is better this (the Gardens of Delight) or the Zaqqum tree? This tree growing devils’ heads in the midst of the Fire will be the food of those in Hell together with scalding water to drink. The disbelievers made fun of a tree growing in a fire but it will become their reality because they followed their forefathers into disbelief even though they were warned. Listen to what happened to those before you. Verses 75 – 148 Scenes from the pastProphet Noah is given as an example of how well God rewards the righteous. Noah was a believer and God saved him and his people from great distress. The non-believers were warned but they made the wrong choice, then they were drowned. Prophet Abraham was also a man of faith, devoted to God. He asked his father and his people why they worshipped false gods. When his people were going for the festival, Abraham said he felt ill and stayed behind. He went to their temple and asked the carved gods questions, why do you not eat why do you not speak. They did not reply so he pushed them over. Abraham’s people were angry and intended to burn him in fire but God had a different plan and kept him safe. Prophet Abraham left trusting God to guide him to a better place. He asked for more, a righteous son which God provided. When the boy (Ishmael) was old enough to work with his father, Abraham had a troubling dream in which he was called upon to sacrifice Ishmael. He told Ishmael and they both were willing to submit to God’s will. Abraham put Ishmael upon the stone but God called out for him to stop. It was a test and Abraham passed it due to his complete submission to God’s command. Abraham is remembered by the following generations as a righteous man. He was given news of another righteous son called Isaac. Among their descendants were the righteous but also those who wronged themselves. God also favoured and supported Prophet Moses and his brother Aaron. They too were delivered from distress and guided on the straight path. God gave them the Torah. Prophet Elias was one of those devoted to God. He questioned his people about the false god Ba’l but they ignored him and faced the consequences. Lot was another Prophet who was delivered from harm along with his whole family, except his wife; she was left to face the punishment with the wrongdoers. Their city is a constant reminder but many people do not take heed. In the next scene is Prophet Jonah. He fled from his disbelieving people to an overloaded ship where they drew lots in order to stay on board. Being swallowed by a whale was his just punishment but he was delivered from harm because he had been one of God’s devoted believers. He was cast ashore and God protected him from the elements and a serious illness. God then provided him with a large nation who believed in him and they were permitted to live out their lives. Verses 149 – 182 Superstitions deniedMany people from Mecca claimed that the angels were the daughters of God. God refutes this superstition. Next they claim that God is kin to the jinn. How could this be possible when the jinn themselves have to appear before God and account for their deeds? God is far above these superstitions and only those destined for the Hellfire would believe such things. The angels are ranged in ranks and glorify God. Previously the disbelievers asked for a Messenger and said they would follow the guidance, yet when the best Messenger and the best revelation are sent to them they resort to disbelief. But they will come to know and understand. God assures Prophet Muhammad that he will see their downfall as sure as they will see his victory. God is far above what they attribute to Him. The chapter closes with a blessing on God’s Messengers and declares that all praise is for God. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 36. Surah Yaseen | سورة يس | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:14:27 | |
The 36th chapter of the Quran is entitled Ya Sin. It is named after the first two letters of the chapter which are "ya" and "sin" (pronounced seen). Thus it cannot be translation into English and is always left untranslated. This chapter of 83 verses was revealed in Mecca and as with all the Meccan chapters, it focuses primarily on the belief in the Oneness of God and the consequences of either believing or disbelieving in that basic principle. Chapter Ya Sin has many short verses and its recitation with short pauses is very emotional. Verses 1 - 12 The revelation of the Quran is a warning to humankindGod swears by the wise Quran that Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is indeed a messenger on the straight path sent to warn those who are unaware. The Quran is full of wisdom, and those who do not follow its guidance are indeed unfortunate. However only those who believe in God and fear His punishment will take heed of the warning. God keeps a clear record of everything. Verses 13 – 29 The example of the three messengersProphet Muhammad is told to warn the people using the example of the three messengers. Two who were sent to the people and then a third to strengthen their number yet still the people refused to believe. The messengers revealed themselves and issued a warning but they were called liars and threatened with stoning. A man ran from the other side of the town saying listen, they do not want a reward. Listen to the message he pleads but he is killed by the disbelievers and thus abruptly finds himself in heaven. Still he wishes the people knew of the forgiveness and mercy of God. God did not send an army against the people, nor was He about to. He just sent one heavenly blast and they fell down, lifeless. Verses 30 – 40 Those who deny the resurrection fail to the signsAlas for humankind says God, they ridicule the messengers and they do not see just how many generations have been destroyed before them. None of them will ever come back yet all of them will come back to stand before God. They deny the Resurrection yet there are signs everywhere. God gives life to the lifeless earth. There is produce and springs of fresh water. They have not produced these things themselves so why are they not grateful. All glory is for God who created all species in pairs, and humankind itself and many other things that humankind knows nothing about. It is God who strips away the daylight transitioning day into night. The sun runs on a fixed course and the moon waxes and wanes according to God’s command. The sun does not reach the moon and the night does not overtake the day because God has determined the course on which they run. Verses 41 - 51 Reminders and warningsAs a reminder God refers to the Flood and how our ancestors were carried in the ark. God continued to create the means with which to traverse the sea and if He willed, the people would be drowned and He would not respond to their cries. They would not be saved except as a mercy from God. We are warned to beware of what lies before and what lies behind. This is a reference to our behaviour in this world and our abode in the Hereafter. Perhaps there will be mercy; perhaps we will not heed the warning. The signs come but the disbelievers turn away. When they are told to give generously out of what has been provided to them they mock the messengers and say why should we feed those whom God could easily provide for. They arrogantly ask "when will this promise (meaning the Resurrection) be fulfilled" but alas a single blast (sometimes translated as shout) will overtake them while they are still arguing. Then the trumpet will be blown signalling the Resurrection. Verses 52 – 58 A scene from the Day of ResurrectionThe people will ask who has raised us from our sleeping place (generally agreed to be the grave) and they will be told that this is the promise made to you by the Most Merciful (God) and what the messengers warned about. It will be but one single blast and lo and behold, all of humankind will be brought before God. On that Day no one will be wronged, everyone will be recompensed for what they did; all will be repaid for their deeds. The people of Paradise will be rewarded handsomely; they will be with their spouses seated on couches in the shade. They will have therein all kinds of fruits and whatever they wish for. And in addition to this their Lord will greet them with "peace". Verses 59 – 65 God addresses the disbelieversThen God will say, stand apart you criminals. Remove yourselves from the ranks of the believers so that you are distinguishable from them. God says, "Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you not worship Satan – for he is a clear enemy to you. And that you worship [only] Me?" This is a straight path, says God and he (Satan) has led great numbers of you astray, could you not use your reason to see this? The disbelievers are told to enter Hellfire because of what they denied and refused to believe and because they refused to heed God’s commands. God will seal their mouths but their hands and feet will speak and bear witness to all. Verses 66 – 76 The Quran is a warning, a gauge between right and wrongGod could have left humankind without guidance but because of His mercy he did not. They could have been left blind without the means to see, or deformed without the means to move either forward or backward but He did not. Prophet Muhammad is not a poet; he was not given mere poetry; rather, he was given a clear book of guidance, the Quran. It is a warning, so that God’s judgment can be passed according to it. God then informs us of one of the many blessings He has bestowed upon us: livestock. He created it for our general use, to be used as a means of transportation, for food and milk, and for other benefits. Instead of giving thanks to God for this blessing, the disbelievers have taken other deities besides God for worship and even call upon them for help but they cannot help! Even an entire army of false gods combined cannot help in the least. God tells Prophet Muhammad not to be distressed at what they say because He (God) knows what they reveal and what they conceal. Verses 77 – 83 The Creator is the Only One to bring back to lifeHumankind seems to forget their origin so God reminds us that we were created from a drop of fluid. Yet even then they dispute openly asking who could give life back to bones after they have decayed? God says that the One who gave them life in the first place will bring them back; it is only He who has knowledge of every act of creation. It is He who produced fire so that humankind can benefit from it; it is He who created the heavens and the earth so is it not then easy for Him to bring back the people? Of course it is! When God wills something to be, He says "Be" and it is. All glory belongs to God, who controls everything and it is to Him that humankind will be resurrected. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 35. Surah Fater | سورة فاطر | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:14:25 | |
The Originator is a forty-five verse chapter. It was revealed during the period in which the small fledgling band of Muslims was suffering from persecution and oppression at the hands of the Meccan elite. The title comes from the first verse in which God’s power of creation is affirmed. This chapter is alternatively known as The Angels, also from the first verse where God mentions the wings of the angels. God’s power is confirmed and contrasted with the powerlessness of idols. The idolaters receive a warning and the Prophet is comforted. Verses 1 – 10 God has power over all thingsAll praises belong to God. He is the one who created the heaven and the earth. He also created angels, with two, four, or six pairs of wings, to be His messengers. God creates whatever He pleases. When He wants to give blessings no one can withhold them but if He wants to withhold His blessings no one is able to release them. Remember God’s graces because there is no god who is able to provide the sustenance you require. Why are you deluded about this matter? God addresses Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, saying, do not be upset if the people call you a liar and deny you. Many messengers before you were treated in this way. Then God address the people saying that His promise is true and warning them not to be deceived by Satan who is the great Deceiver. Satan is your enemy so treat him as an enemy. He only wants you to follow him into the Fire. Those who disbelieve will be punished but those who do good deeds will find forgiveness and rewards. Oh Muhammad, are you able to guide the people whose evil deeds are made alluring to them? The truth is that God chooses who will be guided and who will be left to wander in the dark so do not feel regret. God is aware of everything they do. He is the one who revives the earth with winds and clouds after it has been dead; in much the same way the Resurrection will take place. All power belongs to God and a severe torment belongs to those who plot and plan. Their plans will come to nothing. Verses 11 – 14 God the CreatorIt is God who created humankind; first from dust and then from a drop of fluid. He made you into pairs, and no female conceives or gives birth without His knowledge. And no person grows old or has his life cut short except that it is in accordance with what is written in God’s record. There are two bodies of water but they are not alike. One is sweet and pleasant to drink but the other is salty and bitter. From each you can extract food and ornaments. And the ships move through them. God makes the night and the day and they merge into each other, and the sun and the moon rise and fall at appointed times. The things you worship other than God cannot even control something as small as the skin on a date stone. If you invoked them they would not hear and if they heard they would not respond. And on the Day of Judgement they will deny you. Verses 15 – 26 God is free of all needsHumankind, you need God but He does not need you. He is free of all wants or needs. If He so desired he could destroy you and replace you with a new creation. No one can carry another person’s burden. Prophet Muhammad is only able to warn those who already fear their Lord and establish the prayer. Those who purify themselves do so for their own benefit, not to benefit God. The seeing and the blind are not the same, nor are darkness and light, or heat and shade. The living and the dead are not equal. There is a difference between those who are guided and those who refuse. Prophet Muhammad is a warner who has been sent with the truth. Every community was sent a warner, and many of them were called liars even though they came with clear signs, scriptures and enlightening revelations. In the end God seized the disbelievers and His disapproval was terrible. Verses 27 – 37 Abundant blessingsGod sends down rain from the sky and from it the earth brings forth fruits and vegetables and plant life. The mountains are made up of streaks and tracts of various hues and colors. Humankind and animals are also made up of different colors, shades and hues. Those who have knowledge stand in awe of God. Those who recite from the Book, establish the prayer and give generously from what God has provided them with should expect a reward that does not perish. The Quran is the truth and it confirms the scriptures that came before it. God has given the Quran as an inheritance for those He has chosen. The believers will enter Paradise and they will praise God. However, those who reject the truth will be in the Hellfire where they will never find relief. They will cry out to be given another chance but they have already had many chances. Verses 38 – 45 God knows the unseen and sees everythingGod knows the unseen and all your secrets. You forget that He made you vicegerent on this planet. You are a representative of God and should act accordingly. Those who deny the truth will bear the consequences. Have you thought about those you invoke others besides God? What have they created? Do they have a Book? No, they do not; their promises are delusions. It is God who holds the heavens and the earth together. If they should slip no one could hold them in place except God. They swore that if a warner came to them they would have believed. The warner did come but they treated him with hostility. Evil plots only entrap the plotters. Are they waiting for the same end as the end that came to previous more superior nations? God’s methods have not changed. If God were to punish the people for their sins, there would not be a single person left on the planet. But He gives them respite, and on the Day of Resurrection mankind will be brought to account. Each person will be rewarded or punished according to what they did. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 34. Surah Saba' | سورة سبأ | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:16:06 | |
The fifty-four verse chapter, Sheba, was revealed in Mecca. All chapters revealed in Mecca tend to concentrate on the fundamentals of faith and pay particular attention to belief in the Day of Judgement and the Hereafter. The title Sheba comes from verses fifteen to twenty-one in which the community of Sheba is punished for their ingratitude. The chapter also deals with the absurd allegations of madness directed at Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. Verses 1 – 9 God is All KnowingAll praises belong to God. He is the owner of all that is in the heavens and the earth. Even in the Hereafter all praises are His. Yet the disbelievers say that the Day of Judgement will never come to them. They are wrong. Not even a speck of dust escapes God’s knowledge and it is all recorded in a book. The Hour is established so that those who believe and do righteous deeds are generously rewarded and those who disbelieve and work to undermine the Prophet’s warning are severely punished. Those with knowledge can see that what Prophet Muhammad says is the truth but some of them mock and taunt him. They call him a liar and say that he is mad because he warns of a resurrection after death. He is not mad and those who say so will suffer a torment. God could make the earth swallow them or let fragments of sky fall down upon them. In this is a sign for every person who turns back to God in repentance. Verses 10 – 14 David & Solomon are gratefulDavid was showered with God’s blessings. He sang praises to God with the mountains and the birds. God made iron pliable for David and commanded him to make chain mail and armour from it. God sees everything. God favoured Solomon with control over the wind and a fountain of molten brass. Many of the jinn worked for Solomon making palaces, statues, water fountains and other amazing things. If they disobeyed, God punished them severely. God told the family of David to work gratefully pointing out that most people are ungrateful. When Solomon died the jinn did not realise he was dead until a small creature eating through his stick made him fall down. If they had known Solomon was dead they would not have continued working. Verses 15- 21 The people of Sheba are ungratefulThe people of Sheba had two marvellous gardens, one to the right and one to the left. God told them to eat from what He provided and to be grateful and give thanks. They refused and turned away. God punished them by causing the dam to break, flooding them completely. Because of their lack of gratitude God replaced their two beautiful gardens with bitter fruit and sparse thorny trees. God repays those that are ungrateful. God allowed the people of Sheba to travel easily between the towns he had blessed. They could travel safely both day and night but they were insolent and complained about ease. They were rewarded for their ungratefulness by ceasing to exist as a nation and were scattered throughout the land, and became as mere tales for people to talk about. In this are signs for those who are patient and grateful. Satan cannot force people to disobedience, but God has been given him the power to whisper and seduce mankind so that it serves as a test to distinguish those who are sincere and believe in the Hereafter and those who entertain doubts about its coming. Verses 22 – 30 One God, no partners!If you invoke other deities you will find that they have no control over anything, not even a speck of dust. They are no help to God and they possess no ability to intercede. On the Day of Judgment intercession will only work when God gives His Permission. God speaks the truth and He is the One who gives sustenance. God has no partners and he will judge justly. Prophet Muhammad was sent to bring good news and a warning but most people choose not to understand. They ask when the Day of Judgement will come. The knowledge of when it is known only to God and no one has the authority to change it. Verses 31 – 39 A warner for every communityThe disbelievers say they will not believe in the Quran, or the earlier revealed scriptures. If only Prophet Muhammad could see how the disbelievers will act when they stand before God. They will reproach one another and accuse one another but they will all fall silent with regret when iron collars are fastened around their necks. They will be recompensed for what they did. Every community had a warner sent to them. The affluent people, in general, refused to believe that they would be punished. But it is not great wealth or many children that bring a person closer to God; it is righteousness. Those who are righteous will get a double reward and will be in the upper part of Paradise safe and secure. Verses 40 – 54 Prophet Muhammad tells the truthOn the Day of Judgment God will ask the angels if people worshipped them. They will vehemently reply no rather they worshipped the jinn. Then the disbelievers will taste the Fire that they refused to believe in. When God’s messages are recited to them they turn away and call the Quran a lie, and when the truth has come to them they call it sorcery. Former people denied God’s messages and His reproach was terrible. Prophet Muhammad is not mad nor is he a liar, he only warns of a severe suffering to come. Muhammad does not ask for any reward; his reward is from God Alone. God hurls the truth down and He has knowledge of the unseen. The truth has come, and falsehood has gone and has perished. If you could glimpse the Hereafter you would see how terrified some people are and there is no escape for them. They will say that they believe now, but it will be too late. They had many opportunities that are now gone forever. They will not be able to go back and accumulate good deeds. They were in complete denial, (now they are in despair). May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 33. Surah al-Ahzab | سورة الأحزاب | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:25:54 | |
The verses 1-6 start with instructions to not obey the disbelievers and hypocrites. It further declares that wife does not becomes anyone’s mother just by his sayings, neither someone called as son becomes the real son. Wives of Prophet are mother for the believers and blood relationships are entitled to inheritance. Then verse 7-8 says that God took oath from the prophets including Muhammad (PBUH) before appointing them. verses-9-15 describe the favors of God to the believers during battle of the trench. The verse-16-25 says that there is a Good pattern of living for you in the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). verses 26-27 describe the Jewish tribe Quraizah, and how Muslims got victory over them. The verses 28-33 are about wives of prophet and describe that wives of prophets will have double punishment if they commit sin. There is also divorce option for the wives of Prophet. There is also double reward for their good deeds, as they are not like ordinary women, so there should be no soft talks with strangers and the opposite sex because God intends to purify the people of household of the messenger. Verses 35-48 describe the type of righteous men and women. It tells the story of Hazrat Zaid the adopted son of prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and God commanded Muhammad (PBUH) to marry the divorced wife of the adopted son of Prophet Muhammad. Further, God wanted to declare the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is not the father of anyone of you among men and he sent as a witness and as a bringer of good news and a warner. The verses 49-53 describe that God declares no Idat or waiting time for untouched wife. The prophet was given to marry more than 4 wives and it was also said prophet cannot take other than current women. from verse 53-54 Quran says that God has ordered the people to take permission to enter prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) house also the verses prohibited the Muslims to marry wives of Prophet. Verse 55 is about the commandment of veil for women. Then verses 56-73 say that God recites the blessings on prophet, so shall all Muslims. These verses also declare the veil for Prophet’s wives and believing women. Moreover, those who follow the Prophet Muhammad and his teachings will be rewarded and hypocrites and nonbelievers will be punished. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 32. Surah al-Sajda | سورة السجدة | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:07:35 | |
Chapter thirty-two is named The Prostration. The title comes from verse fifteen, in which the true believers bow down in worship. This verse is one of fifteen places in the Quran where the worshippers should bow down, or prostrate during recitation. The beginning of the chapter emphasizes the truth of the Quran and by the end Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told to pay no attention to those who cannot see the significance of God’s signs. It is a Meccan chapter whose main theme is the Oneness of God. Verse 1 -3 Without doubtThis chapter begins with the Arabic letters, alif, lam, meem. It is one of six chapters that begin with this particular combination of letters and one of twenty-nine chapters that begin with various combinations of letters. God did not reveal any specific meaning regarding them. There is no doubt that this Book, the Quran, is from God, the Lord of all the worlds. People try to say that Muhammad has made it up, or forged it but that is not true. It is a Book of truth from God to Prophet Muhammad in order that he may warn his people. No warner has come to them before and from this Book they will receive guidance. Verses 4 – 11 The creation of Adam and humankindIt was God who created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six days (periods of time), He then set Himself above the throne. (Mentioning the throne establishes the fact that God not only created the worlds but rules over them in a very real way.) There is no protection or intercession except what comes from God Himself, so why will you not listen and take heed. God arranges every matter in the heavens and on earth and then they will ascend to Him in one day, but in the reckoning of the human being this is a period of one thousand years. (This could be understood to mean that events in a thousand years of our history are accomplished by God in one day.) God knows everything that is hidden and everything that is openly revealed. He is Almighty and He is Merciful, the One who perfected everything. He created the beginning of humankind with the creation of Adam from clay. He then made his descendants from an extract of fluid (semen). He then fashioned him in perfect proportions and breathed life into him, giving him hearing, and sight, and a mind. Even so humankind is seldom grateful. And they say, when we are dead and buried will we really be recreated? They disbelieve in the meeting with their Lord. Say, the angel of death, who has been assigned to you will carry you back to your Lord. Verses 12 – 22 On the Day of JudgmentIf only you could see how the criminals hang their heads in shame asking their Lord to return them to the world. We are now convinced and will try to do better, they say. If it had been God’s will He could have given guidance to every soul. But God’s word will be fulfilled and Hell will be filled with jinn and humankind. You ignored the meeting planned for Judgment Day and now you will be ignored by God. You will taste the punishment for all of eternity. The people who believe in God’s revelations prostrate themselves whenever they are reminded of them. They bow down in worship and praise God. They are not arrogant, and they forsake their beds in order to pray to their Lord with fear and hope. They are charitable with what God has given them. Nobody knows what joy they will receive as a reward for what they have done. Is a believer like a transgressor? Of course not! Those who believe and do good deeds will be rewarded with gardens of Paradise. However, those who defy God will have their eternal home in the Fire. Every time they try to leave they will be returned and told to taste the punishment. They will surely taste the calamities and disasters of this world in the hope that they will return to the Right Path. The one who rejects the messages from God recited to him will surely face retribution. Verses 23 – 30 Similarities between Revelations(Prophet Muhammad) Do not have any doubt in the Book you are receiving (Quran). It meets the same criteria as the Book we gave to Prophet Moses as a guide for the Children of Israel. When they were patient and believed in Our signs We raised leaders from among them who guided according to their Book. And on the Day of Judgment God will decide the matters over which they differed. They do not understand how many previous generations were destroyed by God. They walk and dwell in the same places but still do not see the signs, nor do they hear. They do not think about how God sends down rain onto the barren land. Without it they would have no crops or vegetation, for their livestock or for themselves. They do not listen and they do not see. They ask when the Day of Judgment will take place. Tell them that on that Day believing will be of no benefit to the disbelievers. It will be too late and they will not be granted reprieve. Do not pay any attention to them, turn away and wait. They are also waiting. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 31. Surah Luqman | سورة لقمان | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:10:22 | |
Chapter 31 of the Quran is 34 verses in length and called Luqman. It is named after the sage Luqman, whose advice to his son features in verses 13 to 19. The chapter opens with a description of the believers and strongly condemns those who attempt to lead others astray. Luqman was revealed in Mecca at the height of the Muslim persecution and the young Muslims are extolled to disobey parents when they try to lead them away from Islam. The disbelievers are warned about the consequences of their actions and Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told not to be saddened by their actions. Verse 1These are among the fourteen opening letters which occur in various combinations at the beginning of twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. Throughout the centuries there has been much speculation as to their meaning however God never revealed that any specific meaning is attached to them. Verses 2-7 Traits and distractionsThese are the verses of the Quran. It is guidance and a mercy for those who lead a God-conscious life and with the Hereafter as their main focus. These are the ones who will be successful. However there are some people who are without knowledge and pay for distracting tales to lead others away from God. Those who distract a believer will find a humiliating torment waiting for them. When the verses are recited they turn away disdainfully as if the words are nothing but heaviness in their ears. God repeats His warning saying; tell them there will be a painful torment. Verses 8-11 A truthful promiseThose who believe and do righteous deeds will stay in Gardens of bliss. It is a truthful promise for He is Mighty and Wise. He created the heavens without visible pillars, set the mountains upon the earth firmly so that they will not shift and spread animals of all sorts throughout the earth. He sends rain from the sky that causes all sorts of vegetable life to grow. This is the creation of God; what have others that you worship created!? The disbelievers are clearly in error. Verses 12-15 Advice to the youthGod says that He gave wisdom to Luqman so that he would be grateful. Whoever is grateful and gives thanks to God does so for his own welfare. Those who are ungrateful and deny God’s favors upon them should understand that God has no need of their thanks. Luqman counsels his son saying do not attribute partners to God, it is a terrible error. God commands that people be good to their parents, their mothers carry their offspring with great difficulty and usually feed them from their own bodies for two years. God associates gratitude towards Him with gratitude towards parents. He says be grateful and obey them but stresses not to obey them when they ask you to commit the greatest sin of associating others with God. We should not obey them in matters that go against the commandments of God, and do what is right, but at the same time we are expected to treat our parents with care and respect. Verses 16 -19 Wise counselNothing can escape God’s knowledge says Luqman to his son. Even if it is as small as a mustard seed, or hidden inside a rock or is a minute speck in a vast universe, God can see it clearly and is able to expose it. Luqman then advises his son to lead a moral and upstanding life and tells him how; establish the prayer, enjoin the good, forbid the evil and bear the trials and afflictions of life with patience. Do not turn your nose up at people contemptuously; do not walk about the land arrogantly for God does not like the boastful. Thus walk at a moderate pace and talk in a low voice because God does not like harsh voices like the braying of donkeys. This is all sage advice for moral behaviour and interaction between people. Verses 20-26 An admonitionGod asks, do you not see that everything in the heavens and earth is for the benefit of humankind. It is self-evident but there are still those who would argue about it. When they are told to follow God’s guidance they respond by saying that they will not but will instead follow the path trodden by their forefathers. They say this even when Satan is inviting them to step into the Fire. Those who submit to the will of God and live a righteous life have grasped the most trustworthy handhold, because the outcome of every matter is with God. If they disbelieve, do not let it grieve you (O Muhammad) for to Us (God) is their return and We will then inform them of the reality of their deeds. God knows what their hearts contain. We (God) grant them enjoyment for a little while but in the Hereafter they will be driven to an unrelenting punishment. If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth they would say ‘God’, but then they associate partners with God in worship. By acknowledging that God is the creator of everything, and then worshiping created objects, they establish proof against themselves! God is the Creator and Owner of all that is in the heavens and the earth. He needs nothing from His creation and is the Only One worthy of praise. Verses 27-30 The Most GreatIf all the trees on earth were pens, and the oceans were ink, replenished by seven more oceans, the writing of God’s Words (signs and creations) would not be exhausted. It is as easy for God to create and resurrect every living being as it is to create and resurrect a single soul. God is All-Hearing and All-Seeing. Do you not see that God makes the day follow the night, one after the other, over and over in a precise pattern? The sun and the moon also spin in their orbits according to God’s plan. God knows very well what you do. God is the truth and what they call upon besides Him is falsehood. He is the most High and the most Great. Verses 31 -34 Beware of Satan and the delusion of this worldThe ships sail through the ocean by the grace of God. Surely there are signs in this for any grateful person. When the waves loom over them they call out to God with sincere devotion but when He (God) brings them safely to land some falter between belief and disbelief. O humankind, fear your Lord and fear the Day that no family member will avail another family member. Do not let the life of this world delude you or let Satan deceive you. It is God alone who has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs – nothing escapes His knowledge. We humans don’t know what will happen the next moment; God knows all this and is aware of everything. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 30. Surah al-Room | سورة الروم | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:19:19 | |
The chapter was revealed in the city of Mecca and opens with a reference to the defeat of the Byzantines (also known as the Roman Empire) at the hands of the Persians (613–14 CE) in Syria, and the subsequent victory of the Byzantines in 624 CE. The chapter urges people to reflect on their own creation and the heavens and earth. God’s power to give life to a barren land is an indication both of His ability to raise the dead and of His mercy to mankind. The disbelievers are warned to accept faith before it is too late, and Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is urged to persevere and to ignore the bullying of the disbelievers. Verses 1-7 Promise for the believers to gain victoryThe first few verses of this chapter were revealed when Persia overpowered the Byzantine Empire in the Arab areas that were under its rule. This was also a time when arguments in Mecca raged between the early Muslims and Arab idolaters. Since the Byzantines at that time were Christians, and the Persians were Magians, the unbelievers in Mecca exploited the event, drumming up the victory of polytheism over monotheism, and seeing in this Persian victory an omen for their own victory over the believers. Therefore, the opening of this chapter heralds a victory for the people of the Scriptures, the Byzantines, within a few years. It says that this victory will bring much joy to the Muslims because they love the believers of any divine religion to gain the upper hand. Verses 8-32 Reflection on the signs of God, the end of previous nations, and the inevitable occurrence of Resurrection. Some proofs for divine power and oneness, and Islam being the religion of natural dispositionThe Quran does not, however, stop at making this promise, nor does it confine itself to the event mentioned. In fact, it uses the event to show the believers and their opponents wider horizons. It establishes a link between them and the universe. It also relates God’s rule to support divine faith to the great truth that regulates the heavens, the earth and all that is between them, as well as to the past, present and future of humanity. It then moves on to the life to come and the world beyond this earth. Indeed, the Quran takes us on a great round in which we see the marvels of the universe, the human soul, people’s situations and the wonders of nature. We are, thus, able to look at the wider horizons of knowledge, for our lives have been elevated and broadened. Furthermore, we are released from the strict confines of time, place and event, and can look at the universe, its operative rules, history, present and future. Verses 33-45 Attitude of the polytheists to joy and harm, and universality of the Islamic messagePeople’s concept of the true nature of the bonds and relations in this great universe is set on a higher platform. They begin to feel the real greatness of the laws that govern the universe and human nature, and appreciate those that regulate human life and its events. In this way, positions of victory and defeat are defined, and fair measures to judge people’s actions and activities in this life are set, so as to give them just reward both in the present life and in the life to come. In the light of this broad concept, the universality of the Islamic message is clearly shown. Its interaction with events and world situations, even when it is still in its infancy and confined to Mecca and the surrounding valley, appears to be very positive. Its scope is broadened beyond this earth to link it to the nature of the universe and its major rules, human nature and its profound depths, as well as to the past and present of human life both in this world and in the world beyond. Thus, a Muslim’s heart and mind are linked to these horizons to influence his feelings and the way he looks at life. He looks up to heaven and the life to come and contemplates the wonders and marvels of the universe. He appreciates his own position, and that of his community, in this great expanse. He realizes his own value and the value of his faith both in people’s and God’s measures. He thus fulfils his role and does his duties with a clear mind and with confidence and reassurance. Verses 46-59 Proofs for God’s power and oneness, ungratefulness toward divine favors, unbelievers and the people of faith on the Day of ResurrectionThe chapter depicts the fickleness of people’s cares and interests and how these are unsuitable as a basis for building human life. What people should look to instead is a constant measure that does not bend to suit self-interests. It describes such people when they enjoy God’s mercy and when they are afflicted by hardship, as well as in situations of affluence and poverty. It moves on to speak of how provisions should be used and increased. It then discusses the question of God’s alleged partners from this angle, showing how such alleged deities can never provide sustenance, initiate or terminate life. It links the spread of corruption on land and sea with what people do, and directs them to go about the earth reflecting on the ends met by past communities of unbelievers who associated partners with God. It then directs the Prophet to follow the religion of pure human nature before a day comes when everyone will be rewarded for what they do. The chapter then provides some scenes of the universe, commenting that true guidance is that given by God, while the Prophet’s task is only to deliver his message. It is not in his power to make the blind see or the deaf hear. The chapter then takes us on a new round within the human constitution, reminding us of the stages of man’s development from beginning to end, starting with utter weakness in childhood, before it mentions death, resurrection and judgement, giving us a new scene of that day. Verse 60 Urging the Prophet to be patientThe chapter concludes with a directive to the Prophet to remain patient in adversity and to bear whatever difficulties he meets. He should always remain confident that God’s promise will be fulfilled. Hence, he must not let himself be disturbed by those who lack faith. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 29. Surah al-Ankaboot | سورة العنكبوت | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:19:19 | |
This 69-verse chapter was revealed in Mecca and like all Meccan chapters it discusses belief, the fundamentals of faith and the Oneness of God. The Spider, as it is called, takes its name from the description of the spider’s house building skills in verse 41. It is believed that this chapter was revealed to strengthen and encourage the new Muslims who were, at the time, suffering severe abuse and oppression. A clear link is established between all the messages and the message of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. Verses 1 – 13 Belief dictates behaviorThe chapter begins with three separate Arabic letters. Alif, Lam, Meem. These letters are from amongst the various combinations of fourteen letters that open twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. God has not revealed any specific meaning attached to them. The chapter then immediately informs the believers that their faith will be tested. The people who came before them were tested and it is how God separates the liars from those who are truthful. It is not enough to claim belief; belief imposes certain duties. The evil doers will not escape, because God knows everything. Those who believe and behave righteously do so for their own benefit. God does not need a person to behave well; He is free from all needs. The bad deeds of the true believers will be erased and they will be rewarded. God demands that the believer be good to his or her parents. However, do not obey them if they try to make you worship something other than God. Remember that you will return to God and only those with true faith will be among the righteous. There are people who waver in their belief whenever they are faced with difficulties; but then when they are in a position of ease, they make boastful claims about their belief. Their faith is easily shaken and God is well aware of who truly believes and who is a hypocrite. The disbelievers encourage disbelief. Verses 14- 27 Noah & AbrahamNoah was spreading his message amongst his people for nearly one thousand years but they were still doing evil when the flood overtook them. Those saved in the ark are a sign for all those who came after them. Abraham tried to warn his people against idol worship and told them to seek their provision from God. He warned them with stories from their own past and with logical arguments about the power and mercy of God. Their only response was to call for Abraham’s death. Abraham walked out of the fire meant to kill him and called on them to reject their idols warning them that fire will be their eternal abode. Lot witnessed this event and then reaffirmed his faith. Abraham was father to a long line of prophets beginning with his son Isaac and grandson Jacob. Abraham’s rewards began in this world and in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. Verses 28 – 35 The story of LotLot tried to counsel his people asking them to stop their immoral practices, their acts of highway robbery, and corruption. They hardly responded except by telling Lot to bring on the punishment. Lot prayed to God for help. When the angels brought the news of a son to Abraham they also told him they were charged with destroying the town Lot was living in. Abraham feared for his cousin and the angels said they planned to save Lot and the members of his household. When the angels in the form of guests visited Lot, he was anxious because he could do nothing to protect them from the unruly and evil townspeople. The angels were aware of Lot’s grief. They revealed their identity and told him why they had come and that he and his household would be safe from God’s torment. His wife however would not be amongst those saved. The ruins of the town were left so that people who think would understand. Verses 36 – 40 Shuaib & MosesShuaib was denied by his people; the people of Midian. God therefore sent an earthquake that overtook them in the night. The people of Ad and Thamud were also destroyed. Satan played on their arrogance and made their deeds seem fair and thus diverted them from the right path. They were capable of seeing through his tricks. Moses went to Pharaoh, Koran and Haman with clear undeniable signs but they too were arrogant and refused to believe. They could not however outrun God’s punishment. God was not unjust; they were unjust to themselves. Verses 41 – 59 God is All-KnowingThose who seek protection from something other than God are like spiders who think they are safe in their flimsy cobweb homes. God knows what they call on besides Him and even when given examples they fail to understand. These parables are for the wise, and for the believers they are a sign. Prophet Muhammad is told to recite from the Quran and to establish the prayer because remembrance of God keeps people away from shameful deeds and wrongdoing. Only argue with the People of the Book in a good way, explain that their God and your God is One and the same. Many of those given the scriptures believe in the Quran; only the defiant refuse. Oh Muhammad, you cannot read or write but you have been given this revelation and that alone should satisfy the disbelievers. God knows everything in the heavens and the earth and those who disbelieve will be the losers. The time for the punishment is already set. If that was not the case it would already have befallen them. It will be sudden because Hell has already encircled them. God’s earth is spacious, so if need be migrate to where you can worship Him. Everyone dies and everyone will return to God. Those who believed and did good deeds will live in magnificent dwellings in gardens under which rivers flow. Verses 60 -69 The signs that make things clearIf you ask the disbelievers who created the heavens and the earth, or who sends down the rain, they would answer, God. Why then do they continue to deny the signs? Why do they not use their common sense? This life is nothing but a diversion, an amusement for a short time. It is the Hereafter that is the real life. When a person gets into trouble they call upon God but when he saves them they forget that they should be grateful and begin to thank others for their rescue. Let them deny God’s favors and enjoy themselves for they will come to realize. There is none more wicked than a person who lies about God or denies the truth after it has been made clear. Hell will be their abode, however, those who strive will be with God. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 28. Surah al-Qasas | سورة القصص | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:28:59 | |
The Narration is an eighty-eight verse chapter revealed in Mecca. It takes its name from the twenty-fifth verse in which the Arabic word for narration is used. The Narration is also a suitable title because the chapter tells a detailed story about Prophet Moses. Its main theme is the punishment that comes to those who are arrogant and spread corruption. This chapter and the two preceding it go together to tell the complete story of Prophet Moses. Polytheism is condemned, and Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is reminded that he cannot make the people believe but nevertheless he must remain steadfast in his mission. Verses 1 – 21 Prophet Moses and PharaohChapter twenty-eight begins with the combination of letters ta, seen, meem. They are three letters from amongst various combinations of fourteen letters that open twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. God did not reveal any specific meaning regarding them. Immediately after these letters we are informed that these verses from the Quran make things clear and understandable. The story of Prophet Moses and Pharaoh is true beyond doubt. Pharaoh consolidated his leadership by dividing the people into groups and setting them against one another. He loved to spread corruption and oppressed one group in particular. God however wanted to favour those who were oppressed, to make them leaders and establish them in the land, and Pharaoh and Haman, and those like them would then face their greatest fears. Moses’ mother was inspired by God. He made her understand that she should suckle her baby but when the time comes when she is afraid for him she should put him in the river. She must not grieve or be afraid because God will return the baby to her and he will grow up to be one of His messengers. A member of Pharaoh’s family found baby Moses little realizing that later he would become a source of grief for the evildoers. Pharaoh’s wife was able to convince her husband to adopt the baby and they took him into the family. The following day Moses’ mother was bereft but God strengthened her. She sent Moses’ sister to find out what happened. God had ordained that Moses would refuse to feed from any of the palace wet nurses so Moses’ sister was able to tell them about her mother that could feed the baby. In this way Moses was restored to his mother so she would feel comforted and know that God’s promise was true. Moses reached full maturity and was wise and intelligent. One day when walking in the city he came upon two people fighting. One was from his own people and appealed to Moses for help. Moses did help and killed the person with one blow. He realised that Satan must have had a hand in this and appealed to God for forgiveness. When forgiven, he promised never to support evildoers. The next day he came upon the same man fighting and realised he was a troublemaker. Moses was reluctant to be drawn into another fight but was going to attack the troublemaker who was accusing Moses of being a tyrant. At that moment a man rushed up to Moses and told him that the authorities were looking for him, possibly intending to kill him. So Moses left the city. He was fearful and wary and prayed to God to save him from the wrongdoers. Verses 22 –43 Return to EgyptMoses made his way to Midian. When he arrived at the waterhole there he found a group of men watering their livestock while two women were standing back fearful of watering their sheep whilst the men were there. Moses watered the sheep for them and then sat in the shade and prayed to God for assistance. He asked God for any good thing at all and just then one of the two women returned saying that their father wanted to speak to him and reward him. Moses went with the woman and met her father, Prophet Shuaib. The old man listened to Moses’ story and reassured him. One of the daughters encouraged her father to hire Moses, and so Prophet Shuaib offered one of his daughters in marriage if Moses worked for him for eight years adding that ten would be better though. Moses agreed to fulfil one of the terms. And when the agreed upon term had been completed Moses set out to travel with his family. One night he noticed a fire on the side of a mountain. He told his family to wait while he went to find the source of the fire and perhaps learn some news or in the very least bring back a flaming branch so that they could light their own fire. When Moses reached the fire a voice called out to him. The voice seemed to come from the right side of the valley, from a tree. The voice said, "I am God, Lord of the worlds". Throw down your staff the voice commanded. When Moses did so the staff slithered away like a snake. Moses fled in fear. God called him back telling him he had nothing to fear. Moses was then told to put his hand inside his shirt. When he withdrew it, it was white and shinning. God informed him that these two things would be signs Moses was to deliver from Him to Pharaoh and his ministers. Moses then told God about the man he had killed and that he feared he would be killed himself if he returned to Egypt. He also asked that his eloquent brother Aaron be able to accompany him on his mission. God replied that he would strengthen Moses with his brother, and that they would not be harmed and would triumph. When Moses and Aaron presented themselves before Pharaoh they were accused of trickery and sorcery because they had never seen such a thing before. Moses said that God knows best who is guided and who will have the best home in the Hereafter. Arrogantly Pharaoh told Haman to build a high tower so that he could climb up and see this God of Moses, and accused Moses of lying. Pharaoh and his armies were arrogant, thinking they would never have to face God. God seized them and flung them into the sea and that was an end to them. They were the leaders calling only to the Hellfire but on the Day of Resurrection they will have no help. They were cursed in this world and on the Day of Resurrection they will be despised. Moses was given the scripture to provide insight, guidance and mercy. Verses 44 – 50 Prophet Muhammad does not narrate from himselfGod tells Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that he was not present there on the mountain when He (God) gave Moses the law, nor was he among the people of Midian. Prophet Muhammad was also not there when God spoke to Moses on the side of Mount Sinai. You (Prophet Muhammad) had no direct means of obtaining the information of earlier nations; all this is being revealed to you. You were sent as an act of grace and mercy to warn a people that had never been warned before, that they must take heed and never be able to say that a warner did not come to them. Now that the truth has come to them they ask why Prophet Muhammad was not given a law like Moses’ law. They call the Torah and the Quran sorcery and refuse to accept either of them. Ask these disbelievers to bring forth a scripture that is more guiding. If they do not respond you will know that they only follow their own desires. God does not guide the wrongdoers. Verses 51 – 61 In MeccaThe disbelievers of Mecca have repeatedly been given the words of the Quran. Some of those who were given the scripture before the Quran had no trouble believing in it (the Quran), and said that we already believed in One God and were sincerely responding to His commands even before the Quran came. They will be given their reward twice because they have endured. They repel evil with good, give in charity from what has been provided for them, and turn away when they hear frivolous speech. Oh Muhammad you do not decide who will be guided; God guides whoever He pleases and knows which people will accept guidance. They do not wish to be guided. They say that if they accept guidance they will be driven from the land. But God has already given them a sanctuary (Mecca) and provided everything they could possibly need. In your travels you (Meccans) have seen the cities that God destroyed. And God would never destroy a city or its people without first sending a messenger. Whatever you have in this world is temporary and that which is with God is better and more lasting. So why not use your power of reasoning? Is the person who strives for the Hereafter and is rewarded with eternal bliss like the one who merely enjoys a few days of this life and is then punishment in the next? Verses 62 – 70 Polytheists will be left helpless on Judgement DayA Day will come when God will ask, where are the ones you called My partners? Those waiting for punishment will point them out, but the accused will say we did not compel them to obey; they followed their own desires and inclinations. They will try to invoke their gods but they will not respond, and then they will see the punishment and wished they had followed guidance. God will ask them how they responded to the messengers but all their previous arguments will seem obscure and they will not be able to talk with one another. However, those who repented, believed, and acted righteously will be successful. God creates and chooses, you do not choose for yourselves. Oh Prophet Muhammad, ask them what would happen if God made the night perpetual. Who other than God could bring light? If God were to make the day perpetual who other than God could bring night? Out of His Mercy God made the night for rest and the day a time in which to seek bounty. The Day of Judgement will come, and God will ask about the whereabouts of the partners you ascribed to Him. A witness from every nation will be asked to produce proof of the false deities. And then they will know that the truth belongs to God and the gods they invented have forsaken them. Verses 76 – 82 The story of QarunQarun was one of Moses’ people but he rebelled against them. God gave him so many treasures that even the keys to open the containers the treasures were kept in would have been heavy for strong men to carry. The people said to him do not gloat because God does not like those people who gloat. Use what God has given you to attain a good abode in the Hereafter. Be good to others as God has been good to you, and do not cause mischief; God does not love the mischief makers. But Qarun replied all that I have is only because of my own knowledge and ability. Did he not understand that God has destroyed many people before him, many that were mightier in strength and richer in wealth? But criminals are not always called immediately to account. One day he came out of his house in all his worldly adornment. Some people wished they had what he had while others said the reward from God is better but we can only attain it with patience and gratitude. God caused the earth to swallow him and his house. There was nobody to help him and he was unable to defend himself. Then the same people who had envied Qarun changed their minds. They said, we had forgotten that it is God who enlarges provision and it is God that can take it away. If it was not for God’s graciousness He could have caused the earth to swallow us all. Those who deny the truth will never prosper. Verses 83 – 88 ReassuranceThe home of the Hereafter is for those who seek neither glory nor spread corruption. The best outcome is for those who are mindful of God. Those who come to God on the Day of Judgment with good deeds will be rewarded with what is better. Those who come with bad deeds will be recompensed only to the extent of their bad deeds. Prophet Muhammad is reassured that he will be brought to the best destination. God knows that Prophet Muhammad brought guidance to those who were in manifest error. Prophet Muhammad did not expect the Quran to be revealed but it is a mercy. Do not help the disbelievers by giving them concessions in their religion and do not let any of them try to turn you away from what has been revealed to you. Call the people to God and never become one of those who ascribe partners to Him. Do not call out to any other deity besides Him; none has the right to be worshipped except God. Everything will be destroyed except Him. The Judgment belongs to God and you will be returned to Him. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 27. Surah al-Naml | سورة النمل | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:26:21 | |
The Ants, a ninety-three verse chapter, was revealed in Mecca. It opens with a description of the Quran as joyful news for the believers and a severe warning for the non-believers. We then encounter several short narratives concerning prophets and the communities that did not believe their warnings. These narratives are illustrated with examples of God’s power and the contrasting lack of power possessed by the things they worship other than God. There are descriptions of the Day of Judgement and the chapter closes by reiterating the beginning verses—the Quran is good news for the believers but a warning to others. Verses 1 - 6 Joy or retributionVerse 1 is a combination of the letters ta and seen. They are two letters from amongst various combinations of fourteen letters that open twenty-nine chapters of Quran. God did not reveal any specific meaning attached to them. Immediately following the letters, God says that this scripture is a guide for the believers. It is joyful news for those who pray, give charity, and believe in the Hereafter. One the other hand those that do not believe wander blindly believing that their lives will have no lasting consequences. They are wrong. Their punishment will be severe, and this scripture is a warning. Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, receives this Quran from the one who is All Knowing. Verses 7 - 14 Moses and PharaohWhile travelling with his family Moses sees a fire. He walks towards the light telling his family that he will return with either news or burning sticks with which to make their own warming fire. When He reaches the fire, God calls out to him and introduces Himself. God orders Moses to throw down his staff; he complies but runs away in fright when the staff begins to move like a snake. God tells him to stop and that the messengers should not be afraid when in God’s presence because He, God, is merciful and forgiving. God then tells Moses to put his hand inside his cloak and when he withdraws it, it will be shinning white. God explains that these are two from the nine signs that will be given to Pharaoh to convince him to submit to the One God. Pharaoh and his advisers call the signs sorcery. They knew the signs were miracles yet denied them and thus came to a very bad end. Verses 15 - 44 Solomon and the Queen of ShebaWhen God gave knowledge to David and Solomon they praised Him. They understood the language of the birds and Solomon inherited the Kingdom of David. Solomon’s soldiers marched in rows, jinn, humans and birds. When the armies marched through the valley of the ants, one ant directed the others so that they would not be crushed. Solomon understood and smiled widely, and beseeched God to give him the strength and ability to be grateful, the ability to perform good deeds that He loves, and to be with the righteous. Solomon inspected the birds but could not find the hoopoe. The hoopoe returned saying that he had been in Sheba where he found a woman leading the people. She had a magnificent throne but they all worshipped the sun instead of God. Solomon sent the hoopoe with a letter for the Queen of Sheba. She read the letter to her counsellors. It was an invitation to submit to the will of God. Solomon and his army had not invaded the city so she decided to send a gift. When the gift arrived, Solomon said that they could not give him anything that God had not already provided for him. Solomon sent them away with a threat to invade their city. Sheba decided to come in person, and whilst waiting Solomon asked his own counsellors if someone was able to bring him Sheba’s magnificent throne. One of the jinn was able to produce the throne within the blink of an eye. When Sheba arrived, she was asked if what she saw was her throne and although it was disguised she said it looked as if it was. When Sheba was asked to enter the palace, she thought she was about to wade through water and lifted her skirt, however the floor was made of shinning smooth glass. When she saw for herself what God had given Solomon and how majestic his position was, she submitted to the command of God and acknowledged that he was a noble Prophet. Verses 45 - 58 Saleh and LotSaleh called the people of Thamud to worship One God, but they split into rival factions. One group said that Saleh and his followers were an evil omen. The leaders of some families took an oath that they would together kill Saleh and his family. They planned a deceitful plan, but God also planned a plan. The outcome was that their plan came to nothing and they were destroyed, and their desolate houses are a sign for those who think. The true believers were saved. Lot was sent to his people to ask them why they openly committed homosexual acts even though they knew it to be wrong. They had no answer except to try to expel Lot and his followers from the town. So God saved Lot and all his family; except his wife who was destined to be one of those who stayed behind. An evil rain of stones pelted down on those who chose to ignore the warning. Verses 59 - 93Prophet Muhammad is asked to praise God, send peace upon the messengers. He is also instructed to ask who is better, God, who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, or another deity? Clearly it is God who made rivers flow and firmly fixed the mountains and other wondrous things. Why then do they worship something other than God? Who answers the calls of the distressed and removes the burdens of the suffering? God, He the One who is above all that they associate with Him. There is no one with knowledge of the unseen except God. It is He who knows when the dead will be raised. This perturbs the unbelievers who say they have heard ancient tales about the dead being raised and do not believe it. They must therefore travel throughout the land see for themselves what has happened to those who did not heed the warnings of a Hereafter. God is bountiful even though most people are ungrateful. Nothing is concealed from God; it is all kept in a clear record. The Quran is guidance and a mercy. God will be the judge and Prophet Muhammad should not grieve over the people who will not heed his warning. Instead he should put his trust in God because he is on the straight path. He cannot make the deaf or dead hear; he cannot lead the blind. A day will come when the disbelievers will be led before God in groups. The verdict will be given but they will not speak. God sent signs for those who believe and those who think. When the trumpet sounds many will be terrified; the firm mountains will pass away like clouds. On that Day, a good deed will keep a person safe, but an evil deed will see them flung into the Fire. Muhammad says that he has been commanded to submit to God, to worship Him and recite the Quran. Mohammad is only a warner; all praise belongs only to God, and God is never unaware. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 26. Surah Ashu'ara' | سورة الشعراء | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:31:10 | |
This chapter of 227 short verses was revealed in Mecca. Like all Meccan chapters it is primarily concerned with the Oneness of God. Verses 1 – 9 Clear revelationsThe Poets is one of twenty-nine chapters that begin with a combination of Arabic letters. This combination is Ta Sin Mim. God did not reveal any meaning for these letters; however, over the course of Islamic scholarship many theories have been suggested. These verses make things clear, yet Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is worrying himself to death over people who refuse to believe. God could have sent them a sign that was undeniable, but they turn away from every revelation. Now the Quran has come, they will soon experience the reality of what they mock. They need only to look around to see God’s creation; a sign that God is Mighty and Merciful. Verses 10 – 68 Moses and PharaohMoses was sent to the people of Pharaoh but feared he would be rejected because of his speech. God reassured him by making Aaron his helper. Moses asked that the Israelites be released from bondage. Pharaoh reminded Moses of his time in Egypt and called him ungrateful. Moses spoke about the glory of God, and Pharaoh threatened him with prison while mocking him and God. Moses demonstrated the miracles God allowed him to perform. He threw his staff which became a snake and from his robes he drew his hand, shining and white. He was called a sorcerer and Pharaoh and his advisers arranged a competition with their sorcerers. At the assembly the sorcerers threw their ropes, but Moses’ staff devoured their illusions. The sorcerers prostrated to God and Pharaoh had them crucified. God inspired Moses to flee at night with all the Israelites. Pharaoh sent an army to prevent their emigration. By sunrise Pharaoh’s people had the Israelites trapped at the edge of the Red Sea. Moses struck the sea with his staff and the waves parted allowing them to escape. The pursuers were drowned. This is a sign for those who believe. God is Mighty and Merciful. Verses 69 – 104 Prophet AbrahamAbraham asked his father and his people about their idol worship. He pointed out that idols could not benefit or harm them, but his people replied that they followed the practice of their ancestors. Abraham denounced them all and pledged his allegiance to God, the one who guides him, sustains him, cures him and will resurrect him. Abraham supplicated that God join him with the righteous, give him honor amongst later generations and grant him repose in the Gardens of Paradise; he also asked that his father be forgiven. Children and wealth will not avail on that Day. Only those who come before God with a pure heart will benefit. Paradise will be brought close to the righteous and Hell will be visible to those who have gone astray. They will be asked about what they worshipped apart from God and will be flung into Hell with their idols including all the armies of Iblees (Satan). They will argue with one another and wish longingly to return to their worldly life for another chance. This story reveals a great lesson. God is Mighty and Merciful. Verses 105 – 140 Noah and HudThe people of Noah also rejected their Messenger. He was gentle and mild, and asked for no payment, but they considered him and those who followed him to be poor and worthless. Noah said he would never drive away a believer; he was nothing but a warner. They asked him to desist or he would be stoned. Noah called out to God asking for a decisive judgement. God saved Noah and the believers in a ship, the others were drowned. This is a great lesson, but most do not believe. God is Mighty and Merciful. The people of Ad disbelieved in their Messenger Hud. He asked them to fear God and requested no payment. They built strong, tall buildings as if they expected to live forever and were cruel tyrants. Hud reminded them that God provided them with their sustenance. Hud’s people replied that they had no fear of torment and such talk was nothing but an ancient myth. God utterly destroyed them. He is Mighty as well as Merciful. Verses 141 – 191 Saleh, Lot and ShuaibThe people of Thamud denied their Messenger. When Saleh asked them to fear God they accused him of being affected by magic. He asked for no reward and reminded them of their provisions from God, and told them to stay away from transgressors, but it was not enough, they wanted a sign. Saleh brought forth a she-camel who was to share their water; each drinking on alternate days. The people were warned not to hurt her, but they hamstrung her. In the morning they were full of regret because the punishment fell upon them. God is Mighty and Merciful. The people of Lot also disbelieved. He asked them for no reward and warned them to fear God. Lot admonished them and cautioned them not to partake in unnatural acts. They responded by threatening Lot with expulsion. Lot asked God to save him and his family and He did; all except his wife who was destroyed with the rest. A rain of destruction poured down on those who had been forewarned. Another lesson the people failed to learn. God is Mighty and Merciful. Shuaib’s people disbelieved even though he was a trustworthy Messenger who asked for no reward. He warned his people to weigh with correct scales, to give full measure, and not spread corruption, but they accused him of being bewitched. They called him a liar and asked him to cause fragments of the sky to fall upon them if he was truthful. Due to their stubborn denial the torment seized them, a scourge from the dark clouds. Most do not learn the lesson and become believers. God is Mighty and Merciful. Verses 191 – 227 RevelationThis Quran comes from God, brought down to Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel, as a warning to the people in plain Arabic language. The former scriptures foretold this, why is that not sufficient proof? If it was revealed to a non-Arab who recited to them in Arabic they would still not believe. God puts unbelief in the hearts of the guilty. They will not believe until they see the torment, and at that time they will ask for respite. Past enjoyment is no protection from the torment. God never destroyed a population without a warner. He is never unjust. The jinn did not bring down the Quran. Do not worship anything other than God. Warn your close kin (oh Muhammad) and show kindness to the believers. If they disobey then you are not accountable for their actions. Put your trust in God. The devils descend upon the liars and only the lost follow the poets; except the poets who believe and are righteous. And the oppressors will know to what they will return. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 25. Surah al-Furqan | سورة الفرقان | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:18:21 | |
As with many other chapters of Quran this one takes its name from the first verse as well. Al-Furqan means the Criterion and the chapter comprises of seventy-seven verses. It refers to the Quran being the book that differentiates between right and wrong. It is from the pages of the Quran that we are to learn the difference between what is good and what is bad. This chapter was revealed in Mecca and begins with a condemnation of all forms of polytheism. It deals with the doubts and objections being raised by the disbelievers and describes the power of God. The chapter ends with the qualities of the believers. Verses 1 - 9 Distinguishing right from wrongBlessed is God who has sent down the criterion of what is right and what is wrong (the Quran) to his Prophet, Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, in order that he may warn the world. God is the One who controls the heavens and the earth; He has no offspring or partners. He does not share control in any way. He has created all things and determined them with precision. Yet the unbelievers have taken other gods who are unable to create, have no power over life and death and cannot harm or help in anyway. Those who deny the truth say that the Quran is a forgery devised by Muhammad with the assistance of others but this is unjust and a lie. Prophet Muhammad is told by God to reply that the Quran is sent down by He who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth. They (the disbelievers) ask what sort of messenger eats food and walks about in the markets; why is he not accompanied by an angel or has treasure or even a garden of his own? The wrongdoers then declare that Muhammad is affected by magic. They use their own imagination to discredit Muhammad; they are clearly lost. Verses 10 - 16 A fire preparedBlessed is God who could if He willed give Muhammad any number of special things, even more special then the things the disbelievers ask about such as gardens under which rivers flow and palaces too. They (the disbelievers) deny the Hour but God has prepared a blazing fire for those who deny the Hour. When they see the Hellfire in the distance they will hear its fury and roaring and will then be flung into it pleading for death. Which is better they are asked, this, or the garden promised to the righteous? Paradise is a reward and a destination for the righteous where they will find whatever they desire. This is God’s promise. Verses 17 – 24 Deities deny divinityOn the Day of Judgement, God will gather all of humankind with the deities. The deities will be asked if they tried to mislead the people and they will answer that they most certainly did not. The deities will deny the disbelievers and the punishment will not be averted. God reminds Prophet Muhammad that all the prophets ate food and walked in the markets and streets and that some people have been created to be a trial for others. Those who ask why they do not see God or angels, do not really believe in a day when they will stand before God. They are insolent and arrogant. The Day they see the angels will not be a good day for them. The angels will forbid them to cross the barrier and their deeds will be turned to dust and scattered in the wind. The companions of the garden will have a better home. Verses 25 – 34 RegretsThe Day the clouds are torn apart will be a hard day for the disbelievers. They will bite their hands in regret and wish they had chosen better companions, finally acknowledging Satan as a treacherous enemy. Prophet Muhammad will decry the people who took the Quran as nonsense and God replies that every messenger had a wicked enemy. The disbelievers of Mecca ask why the Quran was not sent down all at one time and God answers that it was sent gradually to strengthen the Prophet’s heart. He (Prophet Muhammad) is told that God will help Him answer any arguments put to him. Those who are the furthest away from the right path will fall on their faces into Hell. Verses 35 – 44 Those who rejected the revelationsMoses was given the scripture and he and his brother Aaron went to those who denied God’s signs, they disbelieved and were destroyed. Likewise Noah’s people were drowned. God also destroyed the people of ‘Aad, Thamud, the Companions of the Rass, and many other generations. All were given warnings which they denied, and it led to their utter destruction. Now they deny Muhammad but soon they will see a punishment for doing so. Prophet Muhammad is asked if he has ever seen a person who has taken his own desires as his god. Prophet Muhammad cannot guide cannot guide a person who chooses not to hear or understand the warning. Some people are people are like cattle lead away from the right track. Verses 45 - 62 The Power of GodIt is God who lengthens the shade; the night is a rest and the day a type of resurrection. He is the One who brings the wind, and sends down water from the sky to bring life to a dead land and quenches the thirst of humankind and animals. This process is repeated so that people might take heed but most of the time they persist in their disbelief. Prophet Muhammad is told not to give in. God created two seas, one salty and bitter the other sweet and fresh; he created humankind from water. Even knowing this some people worship something other than God. God sent Muhammad as good news and a warning, thus humankind should put their trust in the Living God who never dies. God created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days and established Himself above them upon His throne. But some people do not bow down, instead they turn further away. God created the stars, the sun and the moon so that some people would choose to be grateful. Verses 63- 77 Mannerisms of the believersThe believers walk with humility, address ignorant people with words of peace, and spend the night worshipping their Lord and asking to be kept safe from the fires of Hell. They are not extravagant nor stingy and they never invoke any deity but God. They do not kill except for a just reason, and they do not commit adultery or fornication. God is able to change the bad deeds into good for those who repent and become righteous. The believers do not bear false witness; they pass by frivolity with dignity and take head of God’s signs and revelations. These are the ones whose patience will be rewarded with Paradise, where they will be welcomed with greetings and salutations and shall live forever. Prophet Muhammad is told to say that God does not care if you invoke Him or not but if you reject His revelations you will face the punishment. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 24. Surah al-Noor | سورة النور | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:27:58 | |
Chapter 24 of the Quran was revealed in Medina and concentrates on establishing the good manners and morals that will ultimately benefit the new Muslim society. It establishes regulations for marriage, modesty, appropriate household behaviour, and the manners and necessity of obedience to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. The title of the chapter is taken from verses 35 in which God is described as the light of the heavens and the earth. While the central theme of this chapter is educating the Muslim community, it flows effortlessly from prescribing mandatory punishments to gently inviting us to reflect on the signs God has placed for us throughout the universe. Verses 1 – 9 Compulsory PunishmentsGod has sent this chapter down from on high and contains commandments that are obligatory. This emphatic opening is followed by an explanation of the mandatory punishment of flogging for a person who commits fornication. The people are advised not to let compassion keep them from enforcing this rule. Muslims carry out God’s orders without hesitation. In this case, before the flogging is administered there must be witnesses to the crime. And when the punishment is administered, it should be witnessed by others so that is serves as a psychological deterrent for those who have similar tendencies. Believers do not marry a fornicator or fornicatress just as they would not marry a polytheist. Illegal sexual intercourse is a severe crime, however anyone who makes false accusations make themselves liable for punishment. If couples accuse each other of adultery they can be exempted from punishment by taking prescribed oaths attesting to their good behaviour. Verses 10 – 26 A lessonAnd God says that if it was not for His favour and Mercy…, and then leaves the end of the sentence up to the reader. It is most commonly believed that it means if not for the mercy of God and the fact that He bestows favours upon humankind our lives would be much more difficult. We would perhaps be punished or even destroyed. Having outlined the rules about accusing women of illegal sexual intercourse, God mentions the evil incident regarding the slander against Aisha, the wife of Prophet Muhammad. It contains a lesson for humankind; and all who took part in it will be punished accordingly, some will receive a severe punishment. Nobody gave Aisha the benefit of the doubt and nobody produced witnesses. Still many people passed on the gossip. God asks why they did not hesitate to repeat a monstrous slander and warns the believers never to do this again. This unthinking behaviour causes pain, doubt and worry. And once again God leaves us to finish the sentence, if it were not for God’s Mercy and His favour, humankind might be severely punished. Following in Satan’s footsteps only leads to indecency and evil. Those who are blessed by God should not swear of not helping others, and those who accuse chaste women are cursed in this life and will face a severe punishment. In the end the corrupt will associate with other corrupt people while good people will be with other like mined people. It is the good people who will find forgiveness and generous provision. Verses 27 – 34 MannersGod tells the believers not to enter homes other than their own unless they have been granted permission. However there is no harm in entering uninhabited places if there is a good reason to do so. Men are told to lower their gazes and guard their modesty and then women are exhorted to do the same including not revealing their charms, beauty or adornments to any men except those who are not strangers to them such as, husband, father, sons, brothers, father-in-law, stepsons and nephews. Women should also not draw attention to themselves in such a way that will tempt another person to sin. Men and women are encouraged to marry. However they should abstain from sexual relations until God provides them with the means to marry. A slave wishing to buy his or her freedom should be encouraged and aided with some of the wealth God has provided. Do not force slave girls into prostitution. The fate of earlier communities demonstrates what happens to those who deviate from God’s laws. Verses 35 The verse of lightIn this verse, God describes the heart of the believer by using the analogy of light. God is the light of the heavens and the earth. It is His light that illuminates the universe, without it there is nothing but darkness. Try to imagine a lamp in a niche in a wall. It burns brightly but the light becomes even brighter when it enclosed in a crystal; so bright that it shines light like a radiant star in the sky. The light is fuelled from the oil of an olive tree, often called a blessed tree. It is an olive tree that grows in a central position able to get the light of the sun throughout the day. For this reason, the oil is pure and burns as if it has no need for the fire that keeps it alight. It is light upon light, the light of the pure oil and the light of the fire. It is God who guides us to His light. The bright light that fills the heart of the believer glows like nothing else in this vast universe. It is light upon light, upon light. Verses 36 – 45 God’s radiant light…The light God mentions can be found in the houses and mosques that have been built for God’s remembrance. God is remembered and honoured there and His name is glorified throughout the day. The people are not distracted by commerce because they fear the Day of Judgement. They perform the prayer, give the obligatory charity and remember that they will be called to account. The people will then be rewarded for their good deeds and God will add even more to the bounty of whomever He pleases. The deeds of the unbelievers will disappear like a mirage in the desert. God’s reckoning will be swift. The state of a disbeliever is like darkness in a bottomless ocean. If God does not give light there is no light at all. Everything in the heavens and the earth glorify God in its own way. Each knowing how to pray and exalt Him, and God is well aware of all that they do. God controls the heavens and earth, drives the clouds, and sends the hail, diverting it from whomever he wishes. He alternates the night and the day, and has created every living thing from water. Verses 46- 64 Obey the Prophet & permissions grantedGod sends clear revelations and He guides whomever He pleases. Some hypocrites declare their belief but then turn their backs. When they are summoned to God and His Messenger they turn away as if their hearts are diseased or they fear injustice. They are wrongdoers; the believers on the other hand, hear and obey. Only those who do not incur God’s displeasure will be successful. If you obey Prophet Muhammad you will be rightly guided for it is his duty to convey the message clearly. Establish the prayer, pay the obligatory charity and obey the Messenger and you will be given mercy. Never think the disbelievers will escape punishment, their refuge will be the Fire. Ask permission before entering at three times: before the dawn prayer, at the midday rest and after the evening prayer. If elderly women want to lay aside their outer garments there is no blame on them. There is no blame laid on the blind, the lame or the sick who wish to eat and mingle with people, and there is no prohibition on eating at the houses of members of your extended family or close friends. Remember to give greetings of peace. Ask permission to leave when you are meeting with Prophet Muhammad, and do not leave unless the needs are pressing. Treat and address Prophet Muhammad with all the respect due to a man of his lofty station. God knows all thoughts and actions and on the Day of Judgement they will be clear to see. God knows everything. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 23. Surah al-Muminon | سورة المؤمنون | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:24:38 | |
Verses 1-11 Qualities and the reward of the believers In this world of God, success is for one who is a true believer, one who devotes himself fully to God and not to anybody other than God and who leads a God-oriented life. Realization of God is not a simple matter. It brings about a revolution in the life of a person. He becomes a worshipper of God and bows down before Him in submission. His sincerity and seriousness increase to the extent that wasting time in useless pursuits appears fatal to him. He sets aside a portion of his earnings in the Name of God and with that he helps the needy. He exercises control over his sexual desires and gives free rein to them only within the limit prescribed by God. He lives his life in this world as a responsible person and never misappropriates whatever is entrusted to him. Such a person never dishonors any pledge undertaken by him. Those who possess these qualities are the favored servants of God. God has kept ready the gardens of Paradise for these people. After death they will be sent into this new ‘world’ so that they may savor its joys forever. Verses 12-22 Manifestations of the power of God and affirmation of life after deathThe young human being grows in the womb of his mother. In ancient times, the period from conception until child-birth was shrouded in mystery. It was only in the twentieth century that modern scientific developments made it possible to observe the development of a baby in the mother’s womb and obtain direct information about it. The vivid Quranic description of the various developmental stages of the formation and birth of human beings, is surprisingly identical with modern scientific findings. This provides a clear proof of the fact that the Quran is the Book of God. Had it not been so, such similarity between the findings of modern research and the statements of the Quran, revealed fourteen hundred years ago, would not have possible. The development of the embryo in the mother’s womb shows that the Creator of this world is the most perfect Being. Our knowledge of human creation compels us to believe that a second creation is certainly possible. Man is a small creature. Compared to him, the universe is so large that it strikes terror into man. In the vastness of space, innumerable stars and planets revolve at high speed. Yet, the most wonderful aspect of the universe is that it is highly favorable to the existence of human beings. Moreover, the planet has been made to cater to all of man’s needs. For example, man is able to domesticate a variety of animals and put them to various uses. The cow’s belly, for instance, is a wonderful factory that gives out a valuable commodity – milk. All these factors warrant man’s recognition of his Kind and Merciful God and his remaining ever grateful to Him. Verses 23-56 Prophet’s call to God’s pathProphet Noah admonished his community for a long time, but they were not ready to accept his call. When the limit of human effort has been reached, divine action begins, it is time for reckoning, not advice. God’s retribution appeared in the shape of a storm which drowned his entire community with the exception of some believers. A few who had faith in Noah entered the ark, God saved them from the grim consequences of the Flood which would have been their fate had they rejected the truth. After being delivered in the ark, the generation of believers in Noah flourished, but with the passage of centuries, they plunged into the same evils in which their predecessors had indulged. Verses 63-92 PolytheistsThose completely devoted to the life of this world are not interested in any discourse about God or the Hereafter. They ignore all such talk and are lost in worldly pursuits. With the onset of God’s retribution, such people forget their recklessness and arrogance and start pleading humbly. Truth is what is in consonance with reality. But, those given to self-indulgence want truth to be subservient to their desires. The truth appears strange to them, and they are, therefore, unable to recognize the real position of the preacher and they try to prove him wrong. The universe appears to be in perfect harmony, whereas the world of human beings is in turbulence everywhere. That is because the universe is running on the basis of truth (laws of nature). If it were to run on the basis of human desires, it would also become turbulent like the human world. In the Meccan period of Islam when the Quraish rejected Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, God sent famine on them for several years. In accordance with God’s scheme, when a community adopts an arrogant attitude and does not accept good advice, He gives a warning punishment in order to soften their hearts and make them pay attention to the Truth. Verses 93-119 ConclusionThe prayer shows that a believer is always a God-fearing person. Even when God’s punishment is directed towards others, he starts trembling with fear. He starts addressing God in all humility, because he knows that, if he is to be saved, it will not be solely by his deeds, rather with God’s mercy. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 22. Surah al-Hajj | سورة الحج | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:27:50 | |
The chapter gets its title from the reference to the rite of pilgrimage that Muslims believe was initiated by Abraham. The theme is introduced by condemning those who barred believers from access to the Sacred Mosque and is followed by permission to fight when attacked. The chapter begins with the Day of Judgement and repudiates those who worship idols, later describing them as powerless to even create a fly. In the end, the chapter urges Muslims to endure in following the faith of Abraham. Verses 1-24 Day of Resurrection and people’s attitudes towards it, horrors of the Day of Resurrection and some proofs for that Day, people’s attitude towards divine guidance, discussion with those who are desperate for triumph, divine justice between different parties, recompense of both the disbelievers and the believersThe chapter begins with an awesome opening that makes hearts tremble. It addresses all mankind, calling on them to fear their Lord and warning them against what may happen on the eventful and terrible Day of Judgement. When the details are given, we find them even more frightening. We have a picture of every suckling mother completely unaware of the child she is nursing: she looks but does not see, moves but only aimlessly. Every pregnant female miscarries because of the great shock that engulfs her. All people look drunk, but they are not. Despite this horror, we are told that some people dispute about God, having no fear of Him. If they are doubtful about returning to life, then they should reflect on how life is initiated. They should look at themselves, and at the earth around them. There are numerous indications that tell them that the whole thing is very close to them, but they pay little heed to the significance of the indicators within themselves and on earth. The One who originated life in the first instance is the One who brings it back in the final stage. They will then be given their reward for whatever they did in this first life. Such resurrection is dictated by the purpose of creation. The chapter paints a picture of a type of person who weighs up faith against what profit or loss he is likely to achieve as a result. Thus, his approach to faith is the same as any business transaction he conducts. Faith is the mainstay of a believer’s life. The world may be swayed and shaken, but the believer stays his ground supported by this mainstay. Events may pull him in this or that direction, but he remains firm in his resolve. Contrasted with this is the person who looks at faith as a commercial endeavor. Verses 25-37 The Sacred Mosque and its status, obligation to Hajj, goal of honoring the sacred sites of God, for each faith community there are sacred ritesIt speaks about the unbelievers who turn people away from God’s path and from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. The reference here is to those who opposed the message of Islam when it started in Mecca, and who sought to turn people away from it. They also confronted the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and his Muslim Companions seeking to debar their entry into the Sacred Mosque at the Kabah. It then speaks about the basis on which this mosque was founded when God assigned its building to Abraham and ordered him to call on all people to visit it for pilgrimage. Abraham’s instructions were very clear: that this mosque must be established on the clear basis of God’s oneness, so as to prevent any form of associating partners with God from being practiced in or near it. It must be kept open to all people, whether they reside nearby or come from afar. None is to be denied entry, and none is to claim its ownership. The chapter then outlines some of the rituals of pilgrimage and how they enhance people’s consciousness and constant remembrance of God. It also stresses the need to protect the Sacred Mosque against any aggression by those who try to turn people away from it or change the basis on which it is founded. Those who fulfil their duties of protecting the purity of the faith are promised victory. Verses 38-70 God defends the believers and legitimacy of fighting, taking lessons from the destruction of the old people, people’s attitude toward messengers and toward the Quran, reward of the Emigrants, proofs of divine power, nations have different rituals and acts of worshipThe Prophet is reassured that God’s power will intervene to provide him with the help he needs ensuring the failure of his enemies. The same power intervened in the past to support earlier prophets and messengers, and to punish those who denied and opposed them. The unbelievers are directed to reflect on the doom suffered by earlier communities; even though such reflection benefits only hearts and minds that are open and receptive. It is not only eyes that can be blind, for real blindness is that of the heart. The Prophet is also reassured on another count, namely that God protects His messengers from Satan’s wicked scheming, just like He protects them from their opponents’ plots. On the Day when all dominion belongs to God alone, the believers and those who deny God’s message will end up in contrasting positions. All this is given within the context of God’s support of His messengers, protection of His message and the reward He has in store for those who believe and those who refuse to believe. This passage begins with a reference to those who migrate for God’s cause. Verses 71-78 Polytheists worship of idols, honoring God and professing His Oneness and choice, religion of your father Abraham, God named you Muslims beforeThe section refers to their worship of deities that have no sanction from God, as well as their worship of beings they do not know. They are criticized for being hard hearted and for their dislike of hearing the truth. In fact, they would not shrink from attacking those who recite God’s revelations to them. They are threatened with the Fire which will be their ultimate abode. This is a promise that will never fail. This is followed by an announcement to all mankind, making it clear that those whom they worship instead of God are devoid of power. Their weakness is shown in a humble image that carries no exaggeration, but the way it is presented brings their shameful weakness into sharp relief. They are shown as incapable of contending with flies, or of retrieving what a fly takes from them. Yet, unbelievers claim that such beings are deities. The passage and the chapter end with an address to the community of believers requiring them to fulfil their duties as leaders of humanity. They should prepare themselves for their task with prayer, worship and good action, seeking God’s help and protection. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 21. Surah al-Anbiya' | سورة الأنبياء | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:25:50 | |
Chapter 21, The Prophets, is one of the longer chapters of the Quran. It contains 112 verses and its title comes from the subject matter from verses 48 to 91, stories, and lessons from the lives of many of the more notable prophets. This chapter was revealed in Mecca and thus it stresses that Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was a human being like all the earlier prophets and that his message was the same, the oneness or unity of God. It also warns, as do many chapters, of the inevitability of the Day of Judgement. Verses 1 – 9 Accusations and liesGod warns that the Day of Accountability is getting closer, yet many people are heedless. They ridicule the warnings and warners that come to them and continue to play, their hearts preoccupied with worldly affairs. In their private conversations, they say that Muhammad is a just human being like themselves, and that he is trying to trick them with witchcraft. God says to Prophet Muhammad, tell them that I (God) hear everything they think is said in secrecy. Many accuse Prophet Muhammad of having muddled dreams, or making up false stories, or being a poet. The disbelievers ask for a sign, but God mentions that all the cities and towns destroyed previously asked for and received signs yet they did not believe. The disbelievers dispute as to how a human being can be a prophet yet the previous prophets were all mortal men. God fulfilled His promise to them, they were saved, as were those who believed in them but many were destroyed for their disbelief. Verses 10- 24 Falsehood blown awayWe (God) have sent you a reminder. Prior nations were destroyed because of their iniquities. Other communities were raised up in their place. They tried to escape when they felt Our (Gods) wrath upon them. (They were told) Go back to your houses and play. They admitted their wrongdoing and continued to do so until they were extinguished, just like a fire. Heaven and earth and all that lies between them were not created to be a playground. Falsehood is blown away by the truth, so woe to those who have created false gods. Those who are with God worship and praise him tirelessly. Do your false deities have the power to raise the dead? There is proof and there is the reminder (the Quran) yet most people do not recognise the truth and turn away. Verses 25- 47 Every soul will taste deathAll the prophets were sent with the same message; there is no deity but God, so worship Him alone. Despite having received the true message people tell lies against God. These evil doers are rewarded with Hell. Do the disbelievers not consider the world around them? The heavens and the earth were once one mass split asunder by God; all living creatures have their origin in water. The earth is covered with firm mountains and broad pathways and the sky is a canopy. God created the night and the day; the celestial bodies move in their orbits. Every soul will taste death. Everyone is tested and then they will return to God. The Day will arrive suddenly and the disbelievers will be powerless to turn it away. The previous messengers were ridiculed but in the end those who ridiculed were overcome by what they mocked. Invented gods cannot defend themselves so how will they defend the disbelievers? They are warned but refuse to hear, and then if even a breath of punishment touches them they cry to God. Be warned that on the Day of Judgement the scales will be set up and God will take account. Verses 48 – 70 Brief stories of the prophetsGod says He gave Moses and his brother Aaron the scripture that distinguishes between right and wrong and the Quran is also a blessed message. God sends it down yet some people continue to deny it. Long ago right judgment was bestowed upon Abraham. He questioned his father and his people about their clear idolatry but they answered that they only followed the ways of their ancestors. Abraham said to them that their true Lord was the Lord of the heavens and the earth that had created them and that he (Abraham) would plot against the idols as soon as he could find the opportunity. Abraham destroyed all the idols except the largest one. He left it whole. When they returned to find the carnage the people remembered Abraham’s threats so they called him and questioned him. He asked them to question instead the remaining idol, pointing out the absurdity of their beliefs. At first Abraham’s people admitted their errors but then they were seized with pride and obstinacy. They threw Abraham into the midst of a fire but God kept the fire cool. They planned to hurt Abraham but God made them the losers. Verses 71 – 77 God saves those who believeProphet Abraham and his nephew Lot were delivered from harm and sent to a land that God had blessed for the entire world. Here Abraham was blessed even more with his righteous son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. They were righteous, doing good deeds, establishing the prayer, giving alms and worshipping in the correct way. Lot was given sound judgment and knowledge and God saved him from the city of wicked deeds. Even further back in the past Noah called out to God and God accepted his prayer against the unbelievers. Prophet Noah and the believers were saved from the great calamity (the flood) but those who had denied the warnings were drowned. Verses 78 – 88 …And those who cry to Him in distressGod blessed Prophet David and Solomon with wisdom. God was watching them when they were trying to judge a case about sheep straying a night and He made Solomon understand the case in a better way. However both were given wisdom in abundance. It was God who made the mountains and the birds sing His (God’s) praises with David and it was also God who taught David to make coats of armour for protection in battle. God harnessed the wind for Solomon and made some of the jinn subservient to him. God asks us to remember Job, who cried to his Lord when he was afflicted. God heard his cry and removed his suffering. And remember Ishmael, Idris, and Dhu’l- Kifl. They were all steadfast and were admitted into God’s mercy. And remember the man in the whale? He was angry but admitted his wrong and God saved him from his distress. God saves the faithful. Verses 89 – 112 Great news for the believersGod blessed Zachariah and accepted his prayer for a child. He was given John (the Baptist). Remember the one who guarded her chastity (Mary, mother of Jesus). God made her and her son a sign for all people. God calls all the prophets a single community and says worship Me alone. If a believer does righteous deeds the angels will record it. Towards the end of time the people of Gog and Magog will be let loose to swarm across the land. On the Day of Judgement the eyes of the disbelievers will stare in horror and say, "We were wrong". But the people destined for Paradise will be kept far away from Hell; they will not even hear a sound of it. This day of great terror will not grieve them and the angels will greet them. Surely this is great news for the believers. My (God’s) righteous servants will inherit the earth. Muhammad has been sent as a blessing for all the worlds and was told to warn them (humankind) asking them to affirm their belief that God is one. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 20. Surah Taha | سورة طه | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:25:50 | |
Verses 1-8 The mission of the Quran and the attributes of the One Who sent it God informs Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that He did not send down the Quran to cause distress to him, but as a reminder for those who hold God in awe, a revelation from the One who created the earth and the heaven, the Lord of Mercy who is above the Throne. Everything in the heavens and on earth and between them belongs to Him. He knows what people keep hidden. Verses 9-99 Story of Prophet MosesWhat follows next is the most vividly described story of Musa. He is the prophet whom God has talked of the most in the Quran and narrated the events of his life from different angles so that his personality emerges in a different perspective every time. Reference is made of the journey of Moses and his family from Madyan to Egypt. When he goes towards the light he hears the voice of God calling him. Moses holds a conversation with his Lord at the Holy valley. God tells him to establish prayer for His remembrance, then gives him two miracles. One, that his staff will turn into a serpent when he throws it on the ground; and second, that when he presses his right hand to his left side, it will come forth white and shining. After this God tells him about the mission he has been chosen for: call Pharaoh to the path of God. Moses prays to God for support and for his brother to assist him. God accepts his prayers and grants him his wish and reminds him of the blessings that were bestowed on him since his birth, when the Pharaoh of that time was killing the sons of all the Israelites. God further reminds Moses how He had made him go through the various twists and turns of his life before coming finally to this awesome moment when he was being chosen as a Prophet. When Pharaoh saw the signs of God, he felt threatened and summoned his sorcerers for a duel. Pharaoh’s sorcerers challenge to Moses, and finally recognize the truth of their Lord. Then God commanded Moses to take the people of "Bani Israel" out of the slavery of Pharaoh. But when Moses went to Mount Toor to receive the Torah, his people started worshipping the statue of a calf, being led astray by Samiri. Moses banished him and burnt the idol. The purpose of all these stories from the past is that we may learn from it. Verses 100-114 The punishment of those who turn away from the Quran and some spectacles from the Day of ResurrectionWhoever turns away from the Quran will bear a terrible heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection. When the trumpet is sounded and God gathers the sinful, they will murmur to one another that they stayed only ten days on earth, but the more perceptive of them will say that their stay on earth was only a single day. On that Day God will blast the mountains into dust and leave a flat plain and people will follow the caller from whom there is no escape. Every voice will be hushed for the Lord of Mercy. Only whispers will be heard. On the Day of Judgement, intercession will be useless except from those to whom the Lord grants permission and whose words He approves. All faces will be humbled before the Living, Ever Watchful One. Those burdened with evil deeds will despair, but whoever has done righteous deeds and believed need have no fear of injustice or deprivation. Verses 115-127 The story of the angels bowing down to the ground before Adam and warning him against SatanGod commanded the angels to bow down before Adam and they did, but Satan refused, so God told Adam that Satan is an enemy to him and his wife and to not let him drive them out of Paradise. And as long as he stays in Paradise, he will not go hungry, feel naked, be thirsty, or suffer from the heat of the sun. But Satan whispered to Adam, tempting to lead Adam to "the tree of immortality and an everlasting kingdom." Adam disobeyed his Lord; both he and Eve fell for Satan’s whispers and ate from the tree. They became conscious of their nakedness and began to cover themselves with leaves. Later his Lord brought him close, accepted his repentance, and guided him. God expelled them from Paradise. God told them that whoever follows His guidance when it comes, will not go astray nor fall into misery, but whoever turns away from it will have a life of great hardship. God promises to raise the one who turns away as a blind person on the Day of Resurrection. He will ask God why was He raised blind when he had sight before! God’s response will be that since he ignored God’s revelations when they came to him, it is only fitting that he is ignored on this Day. This is how God rewards those who go too far and who do not believe in His revelations. God says that the greatest and most enduring punishment is in the Hereafter. Verses 128- 129 Taking lessons from previous nationsDo they not draw a lesson from the many generations God destroyed before them, through whose dwelling places they now walk? There truly are signs in this for anyone with understanding! If it were not for a preordained Word from the Lord, they would already have been destroyed. Their time has been set. Verses 130-132 Directions to the ProphetProphet Muhammad is told to be patient with what they say, and celebrate the praise of his Lord before the rising and setting of the sun, during the night, and at the beginning and end of the day, so that he may find contentment. He is instructed by God to not gaze longingly at what God has given some of them to enjoy in this present life. God tests them through this, but the provision of the Lord in the life to come is better and more lasting. Prophet Muhammad is told by God to order people to pray and to be steadfast in prayers himself. God does not ask anyone to give Him provision, He provides for everyone, and the rewards of the Hereafter belong to the devout. Verses 133-135 The stubbornness of the polytheists and its consequencesThe disbelievers ask why does Prophet Muhammad not bring a sign from his Lord? God tells them that they were given clear proof in the earlier scriptures of the coming of Prophet Muhammad. If God would have destroyed them through punishment before this Messenger came, they would have complained and asked if only God had sent them a messenger, they would have followed His revelations before they suffered humiliation and disgrace! Prophet Muhammad is told to say that we are all waiting, so you carry on waiting; ultimately you will come to learn who has followed the even path, and has been rightly guided. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 19. Surah Maryam | سورة مريم | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:19:30 | |
The name of this chapter is taken from the story of Mary, mother of Jesus (verses 16–35). It begins with an account of the birth of John and of Jesus, the last representatives of prophecy in the house of Israel. The claim that Jesus is the son of God is firmly denied, as is the assertion of the pagans of Mecca that the angels are God’s daughters. It then mentions the missions of some earlier prophets, showing that only human beings are raised to reform the world. Consisting of 93 verses, this is one of the early Meccan chapters, and was recited to Negus (Christian king of Abyssinia) in the presence of hostile ambassadors of Quraish, in the fifth year of Prophet Muhammad’s advent, nine years before Hijrah, by Ja’far, the head of the Muslim refugees, whereupon, according to the earliest Muslims chroniclers, the king and the bishop wept saying, ‘Indeed, this revelation and that of Moses proceed from one and the same source.’ The Quran makes us believe in the power of God in such a way that it enables us to see beyond the predictability of cause and effect. Although God has made this universe in such a way that for everything there is physical reasoning but at the same time God has also made miracles happen which make us realize that God is not dependent on these laws. We find in the Quran such examples which make us "see" this power, so that the closer we come towards Him with love and submission, the more belief we have in our hopes and dreams turning into reality. Verses 1-11 Story of Prophet ZechariahIn the Bible, Zechariah is husband of Elisabeth who is the cousin of Mary. The Quran tells us that Zechariah was also the guardian of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Zechariah was a prophet of God whose office was in the temple in Jerusalem. He was in charge of services at the temple. Zechariah’s wife was barren and both were very old. Zechariah began to worry over who would carry on the daily services of the temple and preach the message of God after his death. In response to Zechariah’s earnest prayer to God for a son, an angel announced that God will provide him a son whose name will be John (Yahya). Verses 12-15 Prophet JohnGod made John compassionate, wise, pure, and kind to his parents who diligently practiced the commandments of the Torah. Verses 16-22 Mary and her pregnancy with JesusAn angel appears to Virgin Mary in the form of a man to convey the birth of a son – a mercy and a miracle from God. Fearing reaction from people toward an unmarried pregnancy, she goes to Bethlehem. Verses 23-26 Birth of JesusSupported by an angel at the time of childbirth, God provides her fresh water and ripe dates at the time of delivery. Verses 27-33 Jesus speaking in the cradleThe baby Jesus miraculously speaks from the cradle in defense of his mother when Mary is probed about the child, announcing that he is God’s blessed servant and prophet, and has been commanded to pray, give charity, and be kind to his mother. Verses 34-36 Reality of JesusGod does not take a son and has no need for one. The above narrative is the truth about Jesus who declared that God is his Lord, so worship Him. Verses 37-40 Disagreement of factions over Jesus and their status on the Day of ResurrectionRemind all the sects who still differ about Jesus of the dreadful "Day of Remorse" when all will return to God. Verses 41-47 Story of Abraham and his fatherThe truthful prophet, Abraham, gently reminds his father not to worship idols that cannot hear, see, or benefit themselves. Threatened by physical violence and expelled from home, Abraham, vows to pray for his father. Verses 48-50 Abraham’s leaving his people and those who invoked other than GodLeaving home with continued prayers for his father and others, Abraham is later gifted with two prophets by God - Isaac and Jacob. Verses 51-55 Characteristics of Moses and IshmaelMoses was a chosen prophet called into close communion by God next to Mt. Tur (the burning bush). Ishmael was also a sincere prophet and messenger of God who was true to his word and cared for his family’s spiritual well-being; he reminded them to pray and be charitable. Verses 56-57 Characteristics of Prophet IdrisIdris (probably Enoch of the Bible) was a sincere, prophet of God, elevated in status. Verse 58 Other prophets from among the descendants of Adam, Noah, Abraham, and IsraelGod favored the prophets listed above and they would fall weeping in prostration before Him. Verses 59-65 Conditions of the successors that came after the prophetsA distinctive attribute of those whose character is molded by the teachings of the prophets, is that they are no longer slaves of their base desires, but rise above them. They turn into people who remember God, the organized expression of which is prayer (salah). The generations that came after the prophets became negligent of God and started following their base desires. Being affiliated to a prophet shall be of no use to them. They shall receive what they deserve. Of them, only those shall be spared who return to the original religion and adopt a life of faith and virtuous deeds. Verses 66-75 Deniers of resurrection, their punishment, and attitudesThe Arabs, who were first addressed by the Quran, accepted life after death, but their acceptance was purely formal and as such had no impact on their lives. This indifference persists because people do not give serious consideration to this matter. If they did, they would realize that the initial, first birth is in itself an argument in support of re-birth. Verse 76 Reward of the guidedJust as one who keeps worldly interests in view, progresses in this world, similarly, one who acts with the afterlife in view, keeps accumulating his good deeds. Verses 77-95 Annulling plurality of the deities and the ascription of sons to GodMan wants to be able to do as he likes in this world, but he does not want to suffer the consequences of his wrongdoings. Therefore, man courts beings supposedly near and dear to God who could plead his case to Him. Such useless pleading are based on false assumptions. Those beings whom he ritually worshipped will disown him on Judgment Day, showing him nothing but hatred. Belief in existence of God’s children can be explained in one of two ways: that God needs assistants like ordinary people or He desires having children. Both propositions are baseless. Verses 96-98 ConclusionGod loves those who believe and act righteously. Quran is only in the Arabic language, but has been made easy for one to learn and memorize. Those who oppose the call for Truth err in thinking that, in doing so, they will not come to any harm. There is evidence of the opponents of Truth being wiped out, but they do not take any lesson from it. Let us wake up to the reality of our powerlessness by acknowledging the power of God. Total submission is the real strength in this world and a hope for everlasting success and happiness in the Hereafter. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 18. Surah al-Kahf | سورة الكهف | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:31:03 | |
This 110 verse chapter was revealed in Mecca. It takes its name from the story of the people who fell asleep in a cave, told in verses 9 to 26. It contains three stories and a parable while opening, and closes with references to the Quran itself. It is believed to have been revealed as a comfort because the fledgling Muslims were suffering ongoing torment and persecution at the hands of the ruling classes of Mecca. It was also sent down to answer three questions that had been put to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, in order to test him. Verses 1 – 13 A straightforward bookPraise be to God who has revealed an uncomplicated book; a book that does not deviate from the straight path. It warns of a severe punishment, but also gives good news to those who do good deeds of an excellent and everlasting reward. It warns those who declare that God has an offspring by telling them that they have no evidence of such a monstrous lie. Prophet Muhammad is told that he is in danger of worrying himself to death over the people who do not believe in his message. However the fact of the matter is the earth has been filled with attractive things in order to test people and in the end everything will be reduced to dust. Do you think that the story about the sleepers in the cave is a wonder?[1] The young men sort refuge in the cave, praying that God, the most merciful, would guide them to a way out of their predicament. God put them into a deep sleep and awakened them after a long period of time. How long they had been sleeping is argued about by believers and nonbelievers alike but now God reveals the truth of the matter. They were young men with strong faith and God gave them even more guidance. Verses 14 – 26 The sleepers in the cave(Before taking refuge in the cave) They declared that God was the Lord of the heavens and the earth and they would never call upon any deity other than Him. Those who have taken other deities have done so without any clear authority and there is nothing more wicked than a person who lies about God. They discussed it amongst each other and withdrew to the cave knowing that God would cover them with His mercy and guide them out of the ordeal they found themselves in. And if you had been there with the sleepers you would have seen that the sun rose on their right and set on their left. All the while they lay in an open space within the cave. This is one of God’s signs. Some are rightly guided while others are left to go astray. If you looked at the sleepers you might have thought that they were awake, they turned from one side to the other and their dog lay stretched out at the entrance to the cave. If you had seen them you would have ran away filled with terror. In the same way that He put them to sleep God woke them up. The youths began to question one another, asking, how long have we been sleeping. It felt like only a day or part of a day and they agreed that only God knew for sure how much time had passed. One of them went to the town with a silver coin to look for food. The others warned him to be cautious and not disclose their whereabouts. If he was caught he would be stoned to death or worse he would be forced to change to their religion. So God brought them to people’s attention so that everyone may know that His promises of Resurrection and the Last Hour were true. The people who found them argued and disputed amongst themselves and those who prevailed decided to build a house of worship over them. The people who heard the story argued about how many sleepers there were, but they guess at the unseen because only a few people have any real knowledge. Therefore adhere to what is clear and never say that you will do something without saying God willing. If you do forget then remember God and hope that He will guide you to even better conduct. Some say they stayed in the cave for 300 years, others say 309, but Prophet Muhammad is told to say that only God knows exactly how long they were there, because He is the one who knows all the secrets of the heavens and the earth. There is no protector besides God and He does not let anyone share in His rule. Verses 27 – 31 Make a choiceProphet Muhammad is told to recite what has been revealed to him and there is no authorisation to change anything in any way. Be content to be among those who seek God’s approval and do not let the notable people of Mecca drive away the weak and humble among your followers. Tell them that now the truth has come; let the people choose whether to believe it or deny it. The wrongdoers will end up surrounded by Fire with nothing but a wretched drink or and a pain filled resting place. Good works will never be wasted; they will be rewarded with gardens of bliss with flowing streams. They will wear garments of silk and golden bracelets and recline on soft couches in a pleasant resting place. Verses 32 – 44 A moral taleTell them, Prophet Muhammad, about the parable of two men both with beautiful gardens and land for cultivation. Both gardens produced abundantly and there was a river between the two properties. One man told the other that he was wealthier and had more followers then the other, and he walked into his garden saying that this will never end and the Last Hour will never come and even if it did God would reward him with something even better. The other man asked, do you disbelieve in the One who created you, for I do not, and you should have said that all is as God willed and no one has power except Him. Although I have less, God might give me something better and destroy what you have. And so it was that the first man’s fertile property was destroyed and he wished he had not attributed his prosperity to himself rather than God. Then he realised that the only real protection comes from God. Verse 45- 59 RemindersAnd give them an example. The life of this world is like vegetation that flourishes but then dries up and withers away, blown in the wind. Here one day gone the next. Your wealth and your children are only adornments in this life, but your good deeds hold the promise of everlasting reward. A day will come when the earth will be flat and bare and all humankind will be gathered together. They will stand in rows before God and their book of deeds will be held out to them. Some people will be in great terror for nothing is missing from their records. Remind the people about when the angels prostrated to Adam. Iblees (Satan, one of the jinn) was amongst them and he refused. Taking Satan and his offspring as Masters would be a grave mistake. Be warned that anything that you declare as an offspring of or partner to God will not respond to you on the Day of Judgement. The wrongdoers will see the Fire and realise what is going to happen. There is no escape. Quran is full of examples to make people understand, but humankind is quarrelsome. Guidance has come and nothing prevents you from believing. The messengers are sent to bring good tidings and to warn the people, yet there are those who make fun and ridicule these warnings. There is no one more unjust than the one who is reminded of the verses, proofs and lessons sent by His Lord but turns away from them and forgets the evil he has done. They will have veils cast over their hearts and their ears are deaf. There is an appointed time for their punishment. Verses 60 – 82 Moses and KhidrMoses said that he would never give up travelling until he reached the appointed place but he and his servant boy forgot about the fish and missed the junction. The place where the fish was forgotten was the appointed place, so they turned back and there was the man they were looking for, Khidr. He was very knowledgeable and Moses hoped to learn from him but Khidr expressed doubts that Moses would have the patience he needed. They set off in a boat but Khidr made a hole in the boat. Moses forgot his promise not to question Khidr about his actions. They travelled on until they met a boy and Khidr killed him. Again Moses questioned him as to why he kill an innocent child. Khidr reminded him of his promise not to question anything. They travelled on until they came to a town where they asked for food but the townspeople refused to help or feed them. Nevertheless Khidr and Moses repaired a wall that was falling down. Moses told Khidr that he could have asked for payment for the work, to which Khidr replied that this was the end of their time together. Before Moses left, Khidr explained to him the reasons behind his actions. The boat belonged to poor people. There was a King who was seizing every boat; if their boat was defective they would be able to keep it and repair it. The boy’s parents were true believers and he would have grown up to incite them to wickedness and disbelief. God planned to replace him with a better and purer child. The wall belonged to two orphans and there was buried treasure underneath it. Their father had been a righteous man, so God intended that the treasure remain buried, safe from the orphan’s caregivers until they reached maturity. Khidr said he did not do these things of his own accord, he was following God’s plan. Verses 83 – 102 Dhul QarnaynProphet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told that when the people ask about Dhul Qarnayn[1], he should tell them about him. He had been given power and the means to achieve many great things. Once on an expedition he came across a group of people. God told him to either punish them or show kindness to them. Dhul Qarnayn chose to punish the ones who had done evil and noted that they would also be punished a second time by God. He spoke gently to the ones who were not doing evil. Then he set out on another expedition. He came upon another group of people for whom God had not provided any shelter. And so it was; he travelled on until he came to a point between two mountains. Dhul Qarnayn could barely communicate with the people there. The people managed to ask him if they could pay him to build a wall. The wall was to keep out Gog and Magog who were destroying their land. Dhul Qarnayn said that what God provided him with was better than any tribute they could pay him but if they provided him with men to help he could put up a fortification. They filled the gap between the mountains with iron and poured molten copper over it. Gog and Magog could not scale it or tunnel through it. This is a mercy from God, Dhul Qarnayn said, but one day God will flatten it to the ground, this is a promise from God. Know that on that day the two parties, (Gog and Magog) will surge against each other like waves. This is one of the signs that the Day of Resurrection is near. On Judgment Day, Hell will be shown to the disbelievers, because they thought they could take God’s servants as their Masters. They will rest in Hell. Verses 103 – 110 Worship is for God AloneProphet Muhammad is told to tell the people that the person who loses the most, by his or her actions, is the one whose efforts are lost even though they think they are doing well. These people disbelieve in God’s verses and signs, and deny that they will ever come face to face with Him. This disbelief renders their deeds worthless. All they will gain is Hell. On the other hand, those who believe and do good deeds will find themselves in the gardens of Paradise, where they will live forever and never have any desire to leave. If all the oceans were ink for writing, the ink would run dry before the words of God’s attributes, grandeur, and knowledge were exhausted. Even if another amount of ink just like it were to be added it would not be enough. Prophet Muhammad is told to say that he is just a human being, the same as everyone else, and it has been revealed to him that the Lord God is One. Everyone amongst the people who fears their meeting with God should do good deeds and never let anyone else or anything share in the worship that is due to God alone. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 17. Surah al-Israa' | سورة الإسراء | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:33:01 | |
This is a Meccan chapter of 111 verses. It is named for the miraculous night journey, from Mecca to Jerusalem, which Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, undertook in the space of a single night. This journey is mentioned in the first verse and again in verse 60. Chapter 17 contains an articulate and easy to understand set of God’s commandments. The bulk of the Night Journey deals with two things, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad and the nature of his prophecy. The Children of Israel are also mentioned. Verses 1- 8 A journey by night Glory be to God. He took Prophet Muhammad on a journey, over one night, from the sacred House in Mecca to the blessed area in Jerusalem surrounding the mosque. This was in order to show him some signs. God also gave Moses, who was a thankful servant, a book as a guide for the Children of Israel. They are the descendants of Noah, and were warned not to take any Protector other than Him. God warned the Children of Israel that twice they would become arrogant transgressors and that twice they would be punished. After the promised punishment for the first transgression, God allowed them to prosper. When the second transgression came, God allowed their enemies to destroy the temple as punishment. God wants to be merciful but if the behaviour is repeated the punishment will be repeated, and Hell will become their prison in the Hereafter. Verses 9 – 21 God sees everything The Quran guides us on a straight path. It leads those who do well to a magnificent reward and warns those who do not believe in the Hereafter of a painful punishment awaiting them. Humankind prays fervently for things that will lead him to evil as easily as he prays for that which is good. Humankind is impatient and acts without thinking things through. God made night and day as two signs. The night is enshrouded in darkness and is followed by the light of day in order that humankind might seek his bounty; and to count the years in order to calculate time. Every person is responsible for his own destiny and on the Day of Judgment he will be confronted by his book of deeds. Read this record, he will be told, and know what your destiny will be. Everyone who is guided does so for his own benefit but if he sins he harms nothing but himself. No person bears the burden of another person and no one will be punished until a Messenger has come to show the true path. If the corrupted persist in disobedience they will be utterly destroyed. Many past generations have been destroyed because God sees everything. Those who wish only for this worldly life, are granted their wish but in the end they will be condemned to Hell. The person who strives for a good life in the Hereafter will be accepted. Both parties receive their Lord’s bounties and some are given more than others, but the final reward is the one that counts. Verses 22 – 40 Some commandments Do not associate anything with God or you will be disgraced and forsaken. God commands that you worship nothing but Him, and that you are kind to your parents. As they grow older, do not be impatient or harsh rather be humble towards them and pray that God treats them mercifully as they treated you when you were young. God knows exactly what is in your heart and He is most forgiving towards those who turn to Him in repentance. Give your relatives their rights but also spend on the needy and the travellers. Do not be wasteful, squandering your money. If you cannot assist needy people then at least be courteous to them. Do not be miserly or extravagant, instead take a middle path. God gives abundantly to some and sparingly to others, He knows and observes everyone. Do not kill your children because you think you cannot provide for them, it is a great sin. It is God who provides for them; they cannot cause poverty; that is the will of God. Do not even come near to committing adultery; do not take a life, except within the laws of God. If anyone is killed unjustly, God has granted a right of retribution but do not be vengeful and take things too far. Do not deal with the property of orphans except with good intentions. Honour your commitments because you will be questioned about them. Conduct your business fairly, give full measure and do not balance your scales incorrectly. Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge - use your heart, eyes and ears to confirm the things you hear. Do not walk about the earth arrogantly. A human being is just a small and weak creature; don’t act as if you are something more than that. The evil deeds mentioned above are hateful to God and He knows the wisdom in their prohibition. Again, do not set up something other than God to be worshipped or you will be thrown into Hell. Do not say that God has taken the angels as daughters. That is a monstrous statement with grave consequences. Verses 41 – 52 Explanations The Quran explains things in many different ways but that makes some people turn even further away. If there really was some other deity, why does it not dethrone the Master of the Throne?! He is exalted and far above what they say about Him. Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies Him, but you do not understand how they glorify. When you recite the Quran there is a barrier between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter. They do not understand it and when God’s Oneness is mentioned they turn away. God is aware of what they (the unbelievers of Mecca) want to hear (from Prophet Muhammad), and He knows that privately they call Prophet Muhammad a man bewitched. They dispute that they will be raised up after they become bones and dust. God says, even if they were stones and iron they would be bought back and tells Prophet Muhammad to say that. When they ask who will do this, say, the One who created you in the first place, and when they ask when this will take place remind them that this might well be very soon. On the Day you are raised up you will imagine that you had been dead for only a very short time. God directs Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. Tell the believers to speak in the best way and remind them that Satan is their sworn enemy. God knows everything about them and will be merciful or punish them according to His will. Prophet Muhammad is not supposed to be in charge of everybody. Some Prophets were given more than others. Prophet David was given the book of Psalms. The deities the unbelievers call upon have no power whatsoever to help or remove harm. Have hope in His Mercy and fear His punishment, for it is terrible indeed. There is no community of evildoers that will not be destroyed or severely punished before the Day of Resurrection. God does not send signs for those who demand them because previously His signs were denied. The people of Thamud were given the she-camel but they mistreated her. God made the Night Journey and the accursed tree mentioned in the Quran as tests. Humankind is warned but it does nothing except increase their transgressions. Verses 61 – 65 Adam & Iblees Remember and mention the time when God told the angels to prostrate before Adam. They all obeyed except Iblees.[1] He was arrogant and asked why he should worship someone made from clay. Iblees said that if God delayed his death until the Day of Resurrection he would lead most of the descendants of Adam astray. God told him to go away because Hell would be the reward for him and any that follow him. Iblees was told to do whatever he could to tempt and destroy humankind but to be aware that he would never have power over the true believers. Verses 66 – 70 Humanity is ungrateful It is God who allows humankind to sail ships across the ocean in order to seek their bounty. And when adversity strikes, whatever they worship besides God disappears from their hearts and minds and they call only Him for help. And when God brings them safely to land, they turn their backs on Him. Humankind is ungrateful; what makes them so sure that they will not fall victim to natural disasters? Who do you think protects you? Humankind has been honoured and favoured above many of God’s creations. Verses 71 – 84 The truth On the Day of Resurrection, when every community is gathered with their leader, those who receive their book in their right hand will read it with pleasure. Those who pretended to be blind to the Hereafter will be worse than blind in the Hereafter. People tried to entice Prophet Muhammad to fabricate revelations but God strengthened his heart. If he had inclined even a little towards them, he would have received a double punishment in this life and in the Hereafter. It was that way with all the Messengers. So establish the prayer from when the sun is at its zenith until the darkness of the night (four obligatory prayers fall during this time) and recite the Quran at the time of the Morning Prayer. The recitation at the time of dawn is always witnessed by the angels. Truth has come and falsehood has departed. The Quran was sent as a healing and a mercy for the believers but the disbelievers gain nothing from it except loss. Humankind can be strange; when God bestows favours upon him, he turns away instead of coming towards Him, and then when things go wrong he falls into despair. Everyone does things in their own way but God knows who is following the best way. Verses 85- 96 A man with a message If people ask about the soul, Prophet Muhammad must say that is the concern of God and that we (humankind) have been given very little knowledge about it. If God wanted He could take away that which has been revealed and then humankind would never be able to get it back. The revelations are a mercy. Even if all of humankind and the jinn came together they could not produce anything like the Quran no matter how much they helped each other. The Quran is full of different examples to help people understand the message but still most people persist in their disbelief. Many say to Prophet Muhammad that they will not believe until he performs miracles to their demands such as making water rush from the ground or causing rivers to appear in gardens or making pieces of the sky fall down or bringing God and the angels down in front of them. Even then, they say, we will not believe in your ascension[2] unless you bring down for us a book that we can read. God says to tell them that you (Prophet Muhammad) have never claimed to be anything other than a human being with a message. They didn’t believe because they queried why God would send a human being. Thus they should be told that if there had been angels walking about on earth then an angel would have been sent. God is witness to what we say to each other and He knows and understands everybody well. Verses 97 – 100 Resurrection Anyone guided by God is truly guided but the ones He leads astray will never find a protector. On the Day of Resurrection the disbelievers will be gathered together. They will be lying on their faces blind, dumb and deaf. Their home will be Hell and if ever the fire dies down it will be made to blaze fiercely again. This is their reward for rejecting the revelations. They would not believe that God could raise them again from dust and bones but of course the One who created them in the first place can do it a second time. There is a written time for their lives to end yet the wrongdoers refuse to do anything about it except continue in their disbelief. If humankind was in charge of God’s mercy he would withhold it because human beings have always been stingy. Verses 100 – 111 Truth in the form of the Quran Prophet Moses was sent nine clear signs but Pharaoh believed it was magic. When Moses told him he was doomed, Pharaoh intended to drive him and the Israelites off the face of the earth. God drowned Pharaoh and those with him. The Children of Israel were told to settle down and when the appointment of the Hereafter comes they will all be resurrected in one gathering. The truth has been sent down in the form of the Quran. Prophet Muhammad was sent only as a bearer of good news that comes with a warning. The Quran has been sent down little by little and the righteous people who were given knowledge before the Quran recognise the truth of it and weep falling down in prostration. Tell them to call on God by his best names. Do not speak too loudly nor too softly, but seek a middle way. Praise God, the One with no son or partner. He has no need of protection, so glorify Him greatly.
May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 16. Surah al-Nahl | سورة النحل | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:37:49 | |
An-Nahl is the 16th chapter of the Quran. It is named after the bee mentioned in verses 68 and 69.The bee is one of many examples mentioned in this chapter of God’s grace towards His creation. An-Nahl was revealed in Mecca and contains 128 verses. Up to verse 88 its contents are addressed to the idolaters and polytheists. In the concluding verses Prophet Muhammad and his companions are instructed how to act in the face of antagonism and persecution. Verses 1-9 There is no true deity but GodThe Day of Judgement is coming so do not be impatient to experience it. God sends down angels to inspire some people to warn others that there is no true deity but God. Fear Him for He is far above anything they associate with Him. People are created from a tiny drop of sperm but soon they become strong and openly challenge God. For the benefit of humankind God created cattle for food, clothing and to carry burdens. He also created horses, mules and donkeys to ride and other things that are beyond the comprehension of humankind. For some, God distinguishes the right path from the wrong paths and He could have done this for everybody had it been His desire to do so. Verses 10 – 21 God’s blessings for humankindGod sends down rain. It provides drinking water and it nourishes crops and fruit including olives, date palms and vines. This is a sign for those who ponder. God has made the day, the night, the sun, the moon and stars for the benefit of humankind. These are signs for those who think. The Earth is filled with things of many different colours; these are signs for those seeking to learn a lesson from them. God has made the sea for the benefit of humankind; it is a source of food and adornment. Ships to sail through it so that humankind may seek God’s bounties and perhaps give thanks. God has also set the mountains firmly into the earth to prevent it from shaking and He has made rivers and paths with landmarks and stars to guide people through the lands. This is a reminder of His power and generosity and if a person wanted to count all the blessings that God had sent down he could not do so. God is Forgiving and Merciful and He knows what people keep hidden. The deities that are invoked along with God are unable to create anything for they are creations themselves, who do not even know when they will be resurrected. Verses 22 – 29 Punishment for arroganceGod is One, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are arrogant and their hearts contain no faith. God does not like the arrogant because He knows what they keep hidden and what they say or do openly. When they are asked about what God has revealed they say that it is nothing but fairy tales from the old days. On the Day of Resurrection they will bear their own burdens plus some of the burdens of those they led astray. People from earlier times felt the punishment come upon them from out of nowhere. On the Day of Judgment they will be humiliated once again. Those with knowledge know that it will be a day of misery for the disbelievers. Those who die doing wrong will deny their wrongdoing but God is aware of what they were doing. So they enter Hell and will remain there in the evil home of the arrogant. Verses 30 – 40 The good are rewarded and God’s promise is trueThose who feared God and were righteous will be asked about what God sent down and they will describe it as good. There are rewards in this world for the righteous but their home in the Hereafter is even better, it is an excellent abode. They will be rewarded with gardens under which rivers flow and they will have whatever they desire. When the pious people die the angels greet them with words of peace and show them into the gardens of reward. God was not unjust to the disbelievers, they were unjust to themselves. They will be struck by the consequences of their actions and will be swallowed up by what they used to mock and ridicule. Those who face the punishment say they would have worshipped God alone if that is what God had willed; their forefathers said that too. Messengers were sent to every nation and their only duty was to warn. If anyone travels through the earth they can see what happened to those who did not heed the warning. Those who God led astray cannot be guided. God’s promise to raise the dead to life is true. Everything will be made clear and the disbelievers will realise how wrong they were. When God intends anything to happen He need only say, "Be", and it is. Verses 41 – 50 ReflectionThose who had to leave their homes in order to worship God will find a home in a good place but the home they have in the Hereafter will be even better. A very happy end awaits those who are steadfast and put their trust in God. All the messengers God sent were human beings, the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) know this, so ask them if you need to. Now this Quran has come so that Prophet Muhammad can explain things clearly and the people can think and reflect. Are those who do wrong really sure that the punishment will not come upon them suddenly, or perhaps it will sneak up on them gradually. The disbelievers have not truly reflected on what God has created - everything humbly fulfilling its purpose, fearing God and doing what He commands. Verses 51- 60 False worshipGod says do not worship two deities because there is only One God and He has dominion over everything in the heavens and the earth. All blessings are from God and it is to God that the distressed person turns. Yet as soon as the relief comes some people turn to something other than God. There will be consequences for the ingratitude. Even the sustenance God provides is sometimes spent on false deities but anyone who does this will be called to account. They wrongly say that God has daughters but they themselves want to have only sons. When the birth of a female child is announced the father is consumed with grief and has to decide whether to bear their perceived humiliation or bury the girl alive. Those who do not believe in the Hereafter set the worst example to follow. Verses 61-69 A warning to make things clearIf God punished humankind for the evil that they do there would not be one person left on the earth. Instead He gives them respite, until an appointed time. It is a time that cannot be delayed or bought forward. They attribute to God the daughters that they themselves dislike. They think they will have a good reward but their reward is Hell and they will be among the first to be sent there. The followers of Satan will face a painful punishment. The Quran was revealed in order to make the things they argue about clear and it is a guidance and a mercy for those who believe. God has sent down rain to revive the earth. The cows produce milk and the vines and gardens grow wholesome foods of all kinds. These things are a sign of God’s bounty; in them is a lesson to be learned. And God created the bee, which feeds on all kinds of fruit and produces honey for the benefit of humankind. It comes in many colours and has healing properties. This is another sign for those who think. Verses 70 – 81 God gives examplesGod created you and it is He that will cause you to die. Some people will live well into old age and will lose their faculties. Some people have been given more provision than others and many of them do not share their wealth. Is that a way of rejecting the blessings of God? God has given you spouses and children and grandchildren, yet still some people deny His blessings. Those deities worshipped other than God have no power. God gives examples. Are slaves and those who have been provided with everything equal? Is a person unable to care for himself equal to one who is righteous and dispenses justice? The Day of Judgment is coming. Babies emerge from their mother’s wombs knowing nothing but God provides them with hearing, sight and minds so that they can be thankful to Him. God has made the birds able to fly without falling. He provides humankind with shelter and warmth and everything you need for the term of your lives. You have garments that protect you from the heat and the cold and other garments that protect you in battle. He bestows the favours so that you will submit to Him. Verses 82 – 89 The disbelievers will feel no respiteThe Prophet’s duty is only to deliver the message. Most people understand but are ungrateful and turn away. On the Day of Judgment there will be a witness (their Messenger) from every nation. Then it will be too late for excuses. The disbelievers will see what awaits them and there will be no respite. When the disbelievers appeal to their false gods, the gods will call them liars and disassociate themselves from the ones who worshipped them. Those who disbelieve and prevent others from believing will have their punishment increased. God will bring a witness from every nation and Prophet Muhammad will be the witness over the Muslims. And the Quran has been sent down as guidance, mercy and good tidings. Verses 90 – 100 God commands righteousnessGod commands humankind to be just and behave with righteousness whilst being supportive of their relatives. He forbids immorality and oppression. This is a reminder. Fulfil any oaths you take in the name of God, and do not deceive each other or conspire against others. This is a test. On the Day of Judgement the things you argued about will be made clear. God could have made everybody one nation but He allows people to practice their free will – however you will be responsible for your actions. Do not deceive each other or hinder other people from worshipping God. To do so will result in a great punishment. Do not break agreements and oaths. Worldly things are transitory but what is from God is everlasting. The righteous will have a new life in the Hereafter. Whenever you recite from the Quran seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan. Satan has no power over those who are submitted to God; his power only affects those who align themselves with him (Satan) and worship something other than God. Verses 101 – 111 God does not guide the disbelieversWhen God substitutes one verse for another they say that Prophet Muhammad has invented lies but they do not understand that angel Gabriel has brought the verses down piecemeal in order to gradually strengthen the believers. They say that a human being has taught Prophet Muhammad the revelations but this Quran is in clear Arabic. If people do not believe, God does not continue to guide them and a painful punishment will be the end result. They love this world more than the Hereafter. God has sealed the hearts, ears and eyes of the heedless, but those who must flee persecution or are compelled to say words of disbelief will feel God’s mercy and forgiveness. Anyone who denies the correct faith willingly will feel the wrath of God. On the Day of Judgement everyone will be dealt justly with and get what they deserve. Verses 112- 117 Eat from the good things providedGod presents an example of a town that was secure with provisions in abundance. The people became ungrateful so they were afflicted with famine and fear. They denied their Messenger and the punishment overtook them. So eat from the good things God has provided and be grateful. God has forbidden only carrion, blood, pig meat and that which has been dedicated to something other than God. But if a person must eat these things out of necessity God will be forgiving. Do not invent lies about what is lawful and what is unlawful because those who tell lies about God will have only a little enjoyment before the punishment overtakes them. Verses 118 – 128 Follow the example of the righteous and use wisdom when you talk about GodThe Jews were prohibited certain things but it was not a hardship upon them, they turned it into a hardship. God is most forgiving to those who do wrong out of ignorance and then repent. Prophet Abraham is a good example, he was devout and obedient. He was grateful and did not associate anything with God. He had a good life and will be amongst the righteous in the Hereafter. The Sabbath day was made obligatory because they argued and differed about it and on the Day of Judgment God will judge between them. Call the people to God with wisdom and good advice. Reason with them in a courteous manner. God knows best who will be guided and who will go astray. If you must retaliate make your response proportionate to how you were harmed, however it is better to be patient. Prophet Muhammad is told to be patient and not to grieve or be distressed by the conspiracies of the disbelievers. God is with those who are mindful of Him and have an attitude of righteousness. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 15. Surah al-Hijr | سورة الحجر | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:14:47 | |
This chapter was revealed in Mecca and contains 99 verses. Its title comes from the Rocky Tract that is mentioned in verses 80 to 84. The majority of scholars believe this refers to the people of Thamud and the rocky tract is an allusion to their stone cities. Its topics and style are very similar to Chapter 14, Abraham, and it is believed that they were revealed at around the same time. In this chapter we learn about God’s boundless grace and the inherent danger in Satan’s plans for humankind. Verse 1The chapter begins with the same combination of letters that began chapter 14 - Alif, Lam, Ra. Over the centuries there has been much speculation as to the meaning of these combinations of letter that begin 29 chapters of Quran. Their meaning however, is known only to God. The Quran makes the truth manifest. Verses 2 – 15 Lessons from the earlier nationsThe disbelievers will one day come to wish that they had submitted themselves to God. For the moment they are distracted and enjoying themselves but one day they will understand. God has never destroyed a people except at the time that was previously decreed. They call Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, insane and ask him for angels but the angels will only appear to strike them down. God has revealed this reminder, the Quran and it is He who will preserve it. Messengers were sent to earlier nations and they were all mocked and ridiculed by their own people. This was how the truth slipped through the disbeliever’s fingers. Some people will not believe even though they know the stories of the people who came before them. Even if God had opened a gate in heaven they would believe themselves to be dazzled and bewitched as they watched themselves ascend. Verses 16 – 25 The SustainerGod created the heaven and made it beautiful by filling it with constellations. He protects it from the devils and those who try to eavesdrop on the inhabitants of the heaven are followed by a fiery comet. God spread out the earth and set mountains into it. He caused vegetation of many kinds to grow in a balanced order. There is a means of sustenance for every living thing. There is nothing that God cannot send down in the appropriate measure. He sends the winds to fertilise the earth, the rain to provide water. Humankind has no control over this. It is God who controls life and death and He knows who has existed in the past and will exist in the future. In the end God will gather them all together. Verses 26 – 44 Who is Satan?Humankind was created from clay (altered black mud) and the jinn were created before humankind from smokeless fire. When God created Adam he told the angels to bow down before him (Adam) and they did. One called Iblees (also called Satan) refused. Iblees was cast out and cursed until the Day of Judgment. He asked for a reprieve until that Day and God granted it to him. Iblees vowed to mislead humankind and make disobedience attractive to all of them except the ones sincerely devoted to God. God said that the misguided ones would go to Hell, an allotted number through each of the seven gates of Hell. Verses 45 – 51 Gardens for the righteousThe righteous however will enter into gardens and springs. They will be told to enter in peace and security. All resentments and bitterness will be removed from their hearts. They will treat each other like close family members. It is a place from which they will never be turned out and they will never be tired. God is merciful but His punishment is severe. Verses 52 – 84 The angels visit Prophets Abraham and LotProphet Abraham was afraid when the angels visited him even though they greeted him with peace. They allayed his fears and told him that he would have a son. It was good news but he could hardly believe it because he was very old. Never despair of God’s mercy. Prophet Abraham asked the angels about the purpose of their journey and they replied that they had been sent to punish a guilty nation. Prophet Lot and his family were to be the only people saved from the wrath of God. Lot’s wife however would not be saved. When the angels arrived they explained to Lot that he must leave with his family in the last hours of the night and told him to walk behind them, to protect them. They were instructed no to look back and that by morning all the sinners would have been eliminated. In the meantime the people of the town rejoiced that Lot had guests. They wanted to commit homosexuality with these handsome looking men (who were actually angels who had come in the form of humans). They came to Lot’s door and he begged them not to disgrace or shame him, even offering his daughters in marriage. But they continued blindly in their wild intoxication and before sunrise a mighty shrieking blast overcame them. The town was turned upside down and stones of baked clay rained down upon them. There is a sign in this for those who will listen and understand. The Forest Dwellers, believed to be the people of Prophet Shuaib, were also wrongdoers and God took retribution on them. Both places are still on the open road, plain for all to see. The people of the Rocky Tract, Al-Hijr, also denied their messenger and ignored God’s signs. A mighty blast seized the them and even their homes built into the rocks could not save them. Verses 85 – 99 Forgiveness and kindnessGod created the heaven and the earth and everything in between with a purpose. The Hour will come (where the truth will become apparent), so Prophet Muhammad is advised to overlook and forgive their misbehaviour. God reminds Prophet Muhammad that He gave him great blessings like the seven oft-repeated verses (the opening chapter of Quran) and the Quran, in which there is light and guidance – so do not look at this world and its attractions, or the transient delights that we have given to its people. Do not envy what they have in this world, and do not upset yourself with regret for their rejection of you and their opposition to your message. Prophet Muhammad is further told to be kind to the believers and to tell the people that he is nothing except a warner. All will be questioned about their behaviour including those who invented lies about the Quran just as others invented lies about their own scriptures. Deliver the message and turn away from those who associate others with God. God is enough to stand against all those who ridicule the message. Those who worship something other than God will soon come to understand their stupidity. God tells Muhammad He knows how distressed he is by what the disbelievers are saying but that he should cure his distress by praising God, bowing before Him and worshipping Him until the certainty of death arrives. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 14. Surah Ibrahim | سورة إبراهيم | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:17:40 | |
This is a Meccan chapter that is named after Prophet Abraham who prays to God in verses 35 to 41. Throughout the chapter the ungrateful are condemned and the grateful praised and assured of their reward in the Hereafter. The chapter is a warning to humankind and a cautionary tale for the disbelievers. Verses 1 – 13 The messageTwenty-nine chapters of the Quran open with a short combination of letters. Chapter Abraham opens with the letters Alif, Lam, Ra. The meaning of these combinations is known only to God. This Quran was sent to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, so that he could use it to lead the people out of darkness and ignorance and into the light of God. It immediately gives a stern warning to the unbelievers or those who hinder people from following the straight path. The torment for those who have gone astray will be severe. All the messengers speak in the language of their people so that the message is clear to them. God will guide or send astray, according to His will. Prophet Moses was also told to bring his people into the light and to remind them of their divine history, particularly the troubled times when they were living under the yoke of Pharaoh. If they had been thankful and grateful God would have given them more but they were thankless to their own detriment. God is self-sufficient and has no need of thanks. Moses told his people that even if everybody on earth disbelieved, God would not be affected in any way whatsoever. The message was denied and rejected by the people of Noah, and Ad and Thamud, as well as the people who came after them. The messengers came with clear proofs of their truthfulness but they were disbelieved because they wanted the people to reject the false religion of their forefathers. The messengers were only men and could not bring miracles according to the wishes of the people. They only produced miracles which God gave them. The messengers said that we put our full trust in God and will bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us. Verses 13 – 17 The suffering of the disbelieversThe disbelievers wanted the messengers to return to their old religion but God made them understand that He would destroy the disbelievers and then the messengers and their followers would live in the land after the disbelievers were gone. This was a reward for those who fear their meeting with God. The messengers asked God for help and victory and the disbelievers were brought to a complete loss and destruction. Hell awaits them where they will have festering water to sip but never swallow. Death will approach but they will not die, their suffering will only intensify. Verses 18 – 22 Satan rejects his followersThe good deeds of those who disbelieve are like ashes blowing in the wind; they are unable to hold onto them and will not benefit them in any way. The creation was designed for a purpose and God could wipe it away and bring another creation if He so desired. When the weak appear before God they will call out for help to those who considered themselves mighty. They will answer by saying if God had guided us we would have guided you, but there is no escape now whether we panic or bear it in silence. Satan will tell them that God’s promise was true however he (Satan) deceived them. They followed him (Satan) of their own free will. Satan rejects those who followed him and they will face a severe punishment. Verses 23 – 27 Reflect and ponderThose who believe and do good deeds will be admitted to Paradise, where gardens bloom and rivers flow. Their greeting will be the word ‘Peace’. In order that we may ponder and reflect, God compares a ‘good word’ with a good tree whose branches reach high into the sky, roots are firmly planted in the ground and it yields fruit every season. A ‘good word’ could mean Islam or the statement ‘there is no deity worthy of worship except God’ and it is firmly established in the heart of a believer. His good deeds ascend to the heaven all the time. Likewise, a ‘ bad word’ is like a bad tree. It is easily uprooted and has no endurance. Words of disbelief have no basis and will not benefit the disbeliever is any way. God keeps the believers firm but allows the disbelievers to stray where they will. Verses 28 – 34 God’s bountyThere are some people who have responded to the favors of God with ingratitude. They cause others to end up burning in the fires of Hell by encouraging the worship of false gods. Their pleasure will be in this life only for they have no hope of Paradise. The believers must continue to pray and give openly and secretly now before it is too late. The Creator sends down rain, causes the plants to bear fruit, and allows the ships to sail safely across the seas and the rivers to benefit humankind. The sun and the moon and the alternation of the night and day – all created for the benefit of humankind. Everything has been provided yet most of humankind is ungrateful. Verses 35 – 41 Prophet AbrahamProphet Abraham implored God to keep the city of Mecca secure and to keep himself and his descendants free from the sin of worshipping idols. He settled his family in the barren valley (Mecca) and prayed that they would establish the prayer and build a thankful community there. God knows what humankind revels and what they conceal, nothing is hidden from Him. Abraham praises God for the birth of his sons, Ishmael and Isaac, in his old age and asks for forgiveness for the believers on the Day of Judgment. Verses 42 – 52 A warning and a messageGod knows exactly what the disbelievers do; He gives them respite until the Day when they will be staring around in horror. Prophet Muhammad is asked to warn humankind of the Day when they will beg for respite again. It will not be granted but they will be reminded that they were warned and presented with many examples of what would become of them. They had plans but their plans were never hidden from God. God will not break his promise to the messengers. The people should be warned that a Day will come when the earth and the heavens will change into another earth and heavens and everyone who ever lived will stand before God. On this Day the guilty will be bound together in chains, their faces will be aflame and their bodies will be covered in tar. Everyone will be judged and every soul will get exactly what it deserves. This Quran is a message for all the people. It is a warning. Let the people know that God is One and Alone. Those who understand will be reminded. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 13. Surah al-Ra'ad | سورة الرعد | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:17:05 | |
The majority of scholars agree that Chapter Thirteen was, apart from a few scattered verses, revealed in Mecca. It takes its name from the thunder mentioned in verse thirteen. It is a powerful and emotional chapter that appeals to the heart while making use of logic and reason. Verses 1 – 4 Where is God?This chapter opens with a combination of letters, Alif, Lam, Meem, and Ra. God Alone knows the true meaning of this combination and why 29 chapters of Quran open in a similar way. God reminds us that the Quran has been revealed to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him. It is the truth although most people do not believe it. God created the heavens; they are above us without any visible means of support. Then He established Himself above the heavens on His throne. He created the universe for the benefit of humankind. The sun and the moon float in their orbits, they are on a specific course for a specified amount of time. The world around you is full of signs and the revelations are clear in order that you have no doubt concerning your meeting with God in the Hereafter. God filled the universe with signs to ponder and reflect upon; there are rivers, mountains, fruit and plants, and the regular cycle of night and day. The earth is filled with all sorts of vegetation, they are all watered with rain but some are of better quality. These signs are obvious for those who think. Verses 5 – 15 God knows the obvious and the unseenSome people ask Prophet Muhammad astonishing questions about whether or not they will be resurrected. They are destined for the Fire. They challenge Prophet Muhammad to bring about the punishment he refers to rather than asking God for forgiveness. God is full of forgiveness but also severe in punishment. They stubbornly demand a miracle of their choice, but Prophet Muhammad is a warner, nothing more. God knows everything about birth and wombs; He knows both the obvious and the hidden. Speaking in whispers or being in the cover of darkness does not conceal anything from Him. Each person has two guardian angels. God will not change the condition of a people unless they change themselves. If God intends to punish a people, then no one can prevent it. The only real protection is from God Himself. God shows His signs in the sky; lightening causing fear and hope, heavy clouds filled with rain and thunder that exalts Him yet can strike whomever God chooses. The unbelievers dispute these signs. Prayer to God is the only true prayer, praying to false deities will elicit no response. Everything in the heavens and the earth prostrates to God, willingly or unwillingly. Verses 16 – 27 Who are the believers?Tell the unbelievers that God is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Ask them why they would worship something other than God. Are the blind and the seeing equal? Is the darkness and the light equal? Do these false deities create? No! God creates. He sends down rain and floods that carry foam like the foam that forms after melting metal. This is an example of the difference between truth and falsehood. The foam vanishes but what remains is useful. Those who respond to God will have an excellent reward whereas those who do not will not be able to ransom their way out of the punishment that awaits. Is someone who understands the truth of the revelations equal to someone who does not? Those with common sense will fulfil the agreements they make in God’s name and are afraid of the coming Reckoning. They also pray, give in charity from what God has provided them with, and fend off evil with good. They will enter Paradise with their families and the angels will welcome them to their wonderful home, but those who are cursed will find themselves in a terrible home. This worldly life is brief compared to the life in the Hereafter. Verses 28 – 30 God’s promiseRemembering God and His excellent promises makes a believer’s heart tranquil. God provides a beautiful resting place for those who believe and do good deeds. Prophet Muhammad was sent to his own community to recite what God had revealed. Yet they still disbelieve. Prophet Muhammad is told by God to respond to the unbelievers. Tell them (he is told) that God is your Lord, there is none but Him and that you have put your trust in Him knowing that you will return to Him. Verses 31 – 34 God is the One who guidesIf there was ever to be a recitation that could move mountains, shatter the earth, or make the dead speak it would be this one. God commands everything and He could have guided all of humankind if that had been His will. The unbelievers will never be far from disaster, until the end when God’s promise will be fulfilled. You, Muhammad are not the first messenger to be mocked. Even though the unbelievers were granted a respite, they were taken to task with a terrible punishment. They know God watches over every soul yet they insist on associating partners with Him. Name them; could you tell God something He does not already know? Their fantasies are made to seem desirable and the path to Paradise for them is blocked. God has let them go astray and there is no one who can guide them to the right path. When the punishment arrives no one can defend them against God. Verses 35 – 43 An invitationThose who remember God will have a reward that looks like this; flowing streams, everlasting fruit and shade. But the unbelievers have nothing but the Fire. Those who accepted Islam from among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) rejoice at the new revelations (Quran) but some from among the People of the Book deny parts of it. Prophet Muhammad must say, "I have been commanded to worship God and associate nothing with Him, I invite you to do the same, and to Him will I return". Quran has been revealed in Arabic and if Prophet Muhammad was to follow the vain desires of some of his community after knowledge had been given to him nothing could protect him from the wrath of God. Some of the messengers before Muhammad had wives and children but none had the power to perform miracles without God’s permission. In every time period there was a book (or revelation) and God confirms or erases whatever He wills because He is the source. Prophet Muhammad is told that he may not see in his lifetime the punishment that awaits them but that is of no consequence because his task is only to deliver the message. It is God who will call them to account. Do they not see that God shrinks the borders of what they control? God’s plan overcomes all plans. If they say to Muhammad that he is not a messenger then he should reply that God is the only witness he needs. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 12. Surah Yosuf | سورة يوسف | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:32:29 | |
The story of Joseph was revealed after an Israelite asked Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, what he knew about Prophet Joseph. The story of Joseph was not known to the Arabs at the time and it was part of a test the Jews concocted to test Prophet Muhammad’s claim to prophethood.[1] Stories in the Quran are usually told in small bites and revealed over several chapters; the story of Joseph however, is different. It was revealed in one chapter, from the beginning to the end. The story of Joseph is framed by a three verse introduction and a 10 verse epilogue. It is generally agreed that it was revealed in Mecca in a year that is known as the Year of Sorrow. Prophet Muhammad lost two of his closest supporters, his uncle Abu Talib and his beloved wife Khadijah. The story of Joseph confirms unconditionally that God has total control over all affairs. It is a story of patience in the face of adversity and trust in the face of sorrow. Verses 1-3 The best storyThe Quran is a book revealed to make things clear, it is revealed in the Arabic language and contains information that Muhammad did not know. This story is called the best of stories meaning that it contains information relevant to events happening at the time of revelation and it contains lessons for all humankind. Verses 4-18 Dreams and deceptionJoseph has a dream in which he sees the sun, moon and eleven stars prostrating before him. This is interpreted as men bowing down to him. He confides in his father who advises him to keep it secret from his brothers. Joseph and Benjamin were the sons of Jacob’s second wife. The older boys considered themselves men. They were older, they were stronger and saw in themselves many good qualities. Blinded by jealousy they plan to kill Joseph. One of the brothers convinces the other brothers to throw him in a well instead. They carry out their devious plan and using their father’s worst fear (a wolf attack) and a blood stained shirt, they try to convince him of Joseph’s death. Meanwhile, God eases Joseph’s fear. God inspires him that one day he will inform his brothers of their deed while they do not realize who he is. Joseph’s father Jacob sensed treachery but turned to God and accepted the news with trust and patience. Verses 19-22 Joseph is established in EgyptJoseph is rescued from the well and sold into slavery. He is sold for a small price to an influential man from Egypt, who comments to his wife that Joseph may be of some service to them. God remarks that He established Joseph in the land and provided him with sustenance in order to teach him the interpretation of dreams. God has full power and control over all affairs but most people are blind to this. Joseph grows up in comfortable conditions and God bestows upon him good judgment and knowledge. He is in the house of a politician learning how to negotiate and make wise decisions. Verses 23-30 The failed seductionThe wife of the Egyptian politician watches Joseph grow to manhood and is attracted to him. She tries to seduce him but he seeks refuge in God. The wife chases Joseph to the front door just as her husband is entering the house. The wife tries to blame Joseph but a member of the household points out that his shirt was torn from the back. The women of the city began to gossip about Joseph and the politician’s wife. Verses 31-35 Joseph prefers prisonAfter she hears the gossip, she invites the women to her house in order to show them how beautiful and attractive Joseph is. She hands each of them a knife and calls for Joseph to show himself. The women are astounded and cut their hands. She explains that she tried to seduce him but he resisted. She threatens that if he does not obey now he will go to prison. Joseph is afraid that he will let himself be seduced so he asks God to protect him, saying he would prefer prison to what the women are planning. Verses 36-40 More DreamsHe is imprisoned along with two other men. The two other prisoners discuss their dreams with Joseph and ask him to interpret them. One of them said, ‘I dreamed that I was pressing grapes’; the other said, ‘I dreamed that I was carrying bread on my head and that the birds were eating it.’ Joseph mentioned their next meal reminding them that God provides their sustenance then replies that he is able to interpret dreams because God has taught him to do so. He spells out his belief in God and in the Day of Judgement. Joseph asserts that his family, the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob hold the knowledge of the Oneness of God, and that his religion and family do not attribute partners to God. Most people however do not realise this. Verses 41-42 Joseph languishes in prisonJoseph interprets the dream. One will serve wine to his master; the other will be crucified and the birds will peck at his head. Joseph asks the one to be saved to mention him (Joseph) to his master. But Satan makes the man forget and Joseph languishes in prison for more time. Verses 43-57 Joseph’s innocence is establishedThe King (of Egypt) asks his counsellors to interpret his dream. ‘I dreamed about seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones; seven green ears of corn and [seven] others withered.’ They were unable to do so and the ex-prisoner remembered Joseph. He ran to Joseph, Joseph interprets the dream and the King asks for Joseph to be brought into his presence. The ex-prisoner goes back to Joseph but Joseph asks him to ask his master (the King) about the women who cut their hands. The King establishes Joseph’s innocence. Joseph says he wanted his master, the politician to know that he did not betray him or abuse his trust. Joseph appears before the King who offers him a position of high rank. Joseph asks to be put in charge of the storehouses. In this way God settles Joseph in the land. God points out that He grants mercy to whomever He wishes, and does not fail to reward good. The reward in the Hereafter, He points out, is the best. Verses 58–66 A dream prediction fulfilledJoseph’s brothers present themselves asking for their measure of grain. Joseph recognizes them but they do not recognize him. He asks them to come again, this time with their younger brother. Without him they will not be permitted to have the grain. They reply that they will try to persuade their father and get his permission. Joseph tells his servants to put the goods his brothers traded for grain back in their saddle bags in order to make them eager to return. The brothers ask Jacob to let them take their younger brother but he is wary asking "Am I to entrust him to you as I did his brother before?" The brothers open the saddle bags and find their good returned to them. Jacob says he will not send the boy unless the brothers swear they will do everything humanly possible to keep him safe. They gave their pledge and Jacob said, ‘Our words are entrusted to God.’ Verses 67-76 The brothers returnJacob advises his sons to not all enter the city by the same gate as a precaution but at the same time tells them that this will not help them against the will of God. All power is in God’s hands, says Jacob. The sons of Jacob present themselves to Joseph and he draws his youngest brother (Benjamin) aside and reveals his identity to him. Joseph gives his brothers their portion of grain but places his drinking cup in his youngest brother’s pack. Someone calls out and accuses the caravan of thievery. ‘What is lost?’ the brothers ask. ‘The King’s drinking cup’, is the reply, and ‘whoever returns it will be given a camel’s load of grain’. The brothers respond that they did not come to make mischief. Joseph’s men ask the brothers what penalty should apply if they are found to be lying. They answered, ‘the penalty will be the enslavement of the person in whose bag the cup is found: this is how we punish wrongdoers.’ Joseph did not want his brother punished under the laws of Egypt but wanted the opportunity to keep his brother with him while the others returned to their father Jacob. The bags are searched and the cup is found in the youngest brother’s belongings. God explains that He devised a plan for Joseph and that He will raise the status of whomsoever He wills. Verses 77-82The brothers allude to Benjamin’s brother (Joseph) being a thief, but Joseph controls himself and does not disclose his identity. The brothers beg that one of them be allowed to stay in his brother’s stead; this is refused. Finally the eldest brother, remembering the pledge he gave to his father, vows to stay in Egypt until Jacob gives him permission to leave or God decides on another course of action. The remaining brothers return to their father Jacob saying, we tried to keep our pledge but we could not have foreseen that your son would steal. Ask the people we travelled with if you need proof. Verses 83-86Their father said, ‘No! Your souls have prompted you to do wrong!’ He turned away from them saying ‘Alas, my grief for Joseph!’. Jacob’s eyes went white with grief (he was blind) and the brothers said, ‘If you don’t stop thinking about Joseph you will ruin your health or even die.’ He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to God, and I know from God that which you do not know’. When this new sorrow overwhelmed Jacob, his first reaction was to be patient. He knew, without a shred of doubt, that the affairs of his beloved youngest sons were controlled by God. Verses 87-98Jacob said, ‘My sons, go and seek news of Joseph and his brother and do not despair of God’s mercy– only disbelievers despair of God’s mercy.’ So they presented themselves before Joseph without knowing his real identity. They explained that misfortune had afflicted their family and asked Joseph to be charitable towards. God, they said, rewards the charitable. Joseph replied by ‘Do you now realize what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?’ The brothers were astounded and asked if he was Joseph and he said, ‘I am Joseph’. They said God really did favour you over all of us; we were in the wrong. Joseph replied that no reproach would be on them and may God forgive them. Joseph then handed them his own shirt telling them to lay it over their father’s face and all would be well, then he asked them to come back altogether. Back at home Jacob was saying that he could smell Joseph, and those around him looked upon him with derision thinking him lost in an old illusion. When the shirt was placed on Jacob’s face his eyesight returned and he said, ‘Did I not tell you that I have knowledge from God that you do not have?’ The brothers asked their father to ask God to forgive them and he replied that his Lord is the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful. Verses 99-101Later when the whole family was presented before Joseph he drew his parents close to him and welcomed them telling them that, God willing they will be safe. They all bowed down to Joseph and he commented to his father that this was the fulfilment of the dream he had so long ago. Joseph said that God had been gracious towards him after Satan had sowed discord between he and his brothers. Joseph prays to God acknowledging his blessings and asking to live and die as a Muslim and be joined with the righteous. The story of Joseph is a lesson for all of humankind. True patience and the ability to forgive are lofty characteristics worthy of inculcating. Verses 102-111That concludes the story of Joseph and in this final 10-verse epilogue God tells Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that this was the story of which he had no previous knowledge and that he was not present when the brothers made their evil plans. God then tells him that he cannot make the people believe no matter how much he desires to do so. God also mentions that Muhammad asks for no reward yet people ignore the signs in the heavens and the earth and only believe in God while joining partners with Him. How can they be so sure that an overwhelming punishment or the Last Hour will not come upon them when they least expect it? Can the people not see the lessons all around them; how can they travel and see the signs of what happens to the disbelievers and still not understand, do they not have a mind? Here is a lesson for those who understand, this is no fabrication; it a confirmation of the truth and an explanation for everything (‘everything’ refers to either the story of Joseph or the religion as a whole, or perhaps both). In this chapter God was advising Prophet Muhammad that the road may be long and difficult but the ultimate victory belongs to those with God-consciousness and patience. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 11. Surah Hud | سورة هود | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:35:49 | |
The history of the Prophet Hud is referred to in this chapter. While the last chapter dealt mostly with abstract questions related to the truth of revelation, this chapter illustrates the truth of those questions by referring to the histories of former prophets. Thus, it deals with the histories of Noah, Hud, Salih, Abraham, Lot and Shu’ayb (peace be upon them all). A cruel and persecuting enemy is warned of the fate that befell previous people. This chapter was revealed in Mecca during the last four years of the Prophet’s life and consists of 123 verses. Once Abu Bakr said to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, "Of late I have been noticing that you are getting older. What is the cause of it?" Prophet Muhammad replied that Surah Hud and similar chapters (56-Waqi’ah, 77-Mursalat, 78-Naba’, and 99-Takwir) hastened old age on him (Tirmidhi). An attentive reading of this chapter will make you feel the effect of its stern warnings. God warns us through the different stories of the prophets, where those who put their faith in the outward appearance of the worldly life and rejected the message of the prophets were met with dire consequences. When God passes His judgment on people, He does not spare anyone, even the closest relative of a prophet. Only the prophet and his followers are saved. Verses 1-7 Message of GodThese verses discuss the Quran and the attitude of the polytheists towards it and resurrection. The verses of the Quran have been explained clearly. The message of the Quran is to worship God and seek forgiveness from Him. Prophet Muhammad warns of God’s punishment and at the same time he brings good news of Paradise. God will judge mankind according to the deeds they did in this life. Some people try to hide from God, but God knows their innermost secrets. God is responsible for sustaining every living creature. God created the heavens and the earth in six days to test man if he realizes God’s power and is thankful to Him. Those who deny resurrection consider the Quran to be magic because of its convincing power. Verses 8-11 Polar attitude towards God’s favorsThe verses compare the attitude of the believers and the polytheists towards favors and hardships. Do not be deceived by God’s postponement of punishment as it can come at any time. Also, do not lose hope and become ungrateful if God withdraws some of His favors. At the same time, do not become arrogant if God makes you taste His bounty. People have this attitude, except the patient ones who do good deeds. They will be forgiven and have an immense reward. Verse 12 Prophet Muhammad’s dealing with pagansThe verse describes Prophet’s feeling of discomfort because of the behavior of the polytheists. Verses 13-14 Authenticity of the QuranThe authenticity of the Quran is proven to those who claim Prophet Muhammad fabricated it. God challenges the experts of the Arabic language to bring ten chapters similar to it. Their inability to respond should make you certain that the Quran is from God, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, and you should submit to Him as Muslims. Verses 15-16 Future consequences of present behaviorThe consequence for those desiring solely the reward of this world is that they will receive their wages in this life, but Fire will be their lot in the life to come. After all, they worked only for worldly objectives. Verses 17-24 The two partiesArchangel Gabriel, God’s witness, confirms the Quran. A person who follows the Quran and Moses’ book (i.e. Torah which foretold the coming of Prophet Muhammad) believes in it. The Fire is for those who reject it. Cursed are those losers who attribute lies to God, prevent others from God’s path – Islam – and reject life after death. Those who have faith and do good deeds will reside in Paradise. Verses 25-49 Story of NoahThe people of Noah lived in southern Iraq, not too far from present day city of Kufah. Noah’s message to his people was: · Worship God. · Fear the punishment of a painful Day. But the leaders of his nation considered him to be a mere human followed by people of low status. They rejected his answers and invited him to bring on the destruction he promised. God instructed Noah to patiently bear their mockery and build the ark. Tenderness of a father could not save Noah’s disbelieving son from drowning with the rest. The ark, carrying Noah, fellow believers, and animals landed on Judi, which is said to be a mountain facing Ibn Umar Island at the junction of the Syrian and Turkish borders, on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, visible from the Syrian town of Ain Diwar. Verses 50-60 Story of HudThe people of ‘Ad, to whom Hud was sent, lived in an area of curved sand hills in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula. They worshiped a number of idols: wudd, suwa, yaguth, ya’uq, and nasr. Summary of Hud’s message to his people: · Worship God. · I don’t ask you for any reward for my preaching, it is with my Creator. · Seek forgiveness from God, He will send rain and give you strength. · I rely on God, my Lord and your Lord. · God has full control of every creature. · My Lord can substitute you with better people if you turn away. · You won’t harm God by not worshipping Him. The people rejected his message. God’s punishment which lasted for 8 days and 7 nights destroyed them for rejecting God and disobeying His prophets. Hud and fellow believers were saved by God’s mercy. Verses 61-68 Story of SalihThe dwelling places of Salih’s people, Thamud, are situated somewhere between Hijaz and Syria in the southeastern part of Madyan which is situated east of the Gulf of Aqaba. Chiseled out of stone, their dwellings are still preserved. Salih’s message was similar to that of Noah and Hud. In addition, he produced a female camel from the neighboring hills to prove that he was God’s true prophet but warned people not to harm it. Nevertheless, they killed it, thereby inviting God’s wrath in the form of a heavenly scream that left them dead, face down in their homes. Verses 69-76 Story of AbrahamBorn in Iraq, Abraham settled in the city of Ur. He traveled to Harran in the north of the Arabian Peninsula and then to Palestine with his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot. Due to a drought, he then moved to Egypt. Lot returned with Abraham from Egypt, but parted ways because the land was not enough for both their herds. Lot settled towards the Dead Sea near Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham had three beautiful character traits: forbearing, repentant, and soft-hearted. He was quick to serve unannounced guests - angels of God - who brought two bits of news. One, destruction was forthcoming to the people of Lot. As for the second, the birth of Abraham’s son, Isaac, from Sarah, his aged wife, and his grandson, Jacob. Abraham makes a futile attempt to turn away the angels from Lot. Verses 77-83 Story of LotAs hospitable as his uncle, Lot is distressed to see young, attractive guests who people immediately wanted to sodomize. Lot tries to reason with the people by pointing to available women for marriage and not to disgrace him. Feeling powerless to protect his guests, the angels comfort Lot that he will be unharmed. He was to leave town at nightfall with his family except his wife who would stay behind as she had informed people of the angelic guests. God destroys them by lifting up the city, throwing it upside down, and raining them with stones due to their wickedness. Verses 84-95 Story of Shu’aybHe was sent to the people of Madyan who lived in the land of Hijaz, next to Syria and east of the Gulf of Aqaba. According to some historians, that land is the site of the modern Saudi city of Tabuk. Shu’ayb’s message: · Worship God. · Give full measure, do not give people less than what they pay for. · Do not spread corruption on earth. · Seek forgiveness from the Most Merciful, Most Loving Lord. · Fear the punishment of a Day that will surround all. The disbelievers made fun of Prophet Shu’ayb’s prayer, saying does it instruct him that they should leave ancestral gods or change how they dispose of their money. Shu’ayb reminds them that he only wishes reformation and God is his strength on Whom he relies. His compassionate pleading to look at the ruins of Noah, Hud, Salih, and Lot does not convince them. Shu’ayb and fellow believers are rescued when a scream destroys them as if they never existed. Verses 96-99 Story of MosesMoses left Egypt, and traveling through Sinai, he headed towards Madyan. On his way he met his wife, the daughter of Shu’ayb. On their return journey, God spoke to Moses at Mt. Tur (Mt. Horeb in Sinai) and thereafter, Moses returns to Egypt. God sent Moses with clear proofs to Pharaoh and his ministers, but the latter followed the misguided orders of their ruler instead. Cursed in both worlds, just as they followed him in the cold water that drowned them, they will follow him into the Fire. Verses 100-102 InjusticeThey wronged themselves, God did not wrong them. The gods they called upon besides God were of no use to them. Verses 103-109 Scenes from the Day of Resurrection and divine solace to the ProphetThe above narratives of the prophets are ‘signs’ related to Prophet Muhammad for the benefit of those who fear the punishment of the afterlife. God will gather all the people on the Last Day, no one will be able to hide himself, and everyone will receive their full share. On that Day a soul will speak only by God’s permission. The unfortunate ones will enter the Hellfire on that Day for eternity. The fortunate ones will be in Paradise forever. Verses 110-111 Warning against casting doubt in the books of GodPeople treat their prophets the same. Some accept their call, and others reject it. Casting doubt, people denied Moses and the Torah like the pagans of Mecca denied Prophet Muhammad. Those who rejected the prophets shall face the same fate. Verses 112-115 Means of achieving success in the world and the HereafterProphet Muhammad and the repentant believers with him are instructed by God to remain determined, establish regular prayer, and exercise patience. Do not cross the boundaries and do not become partners with wrongdoers or else the Fire will touch you. Verses 116-119 God’s way in destroying unjust nationsGod does not unjustly destroy cities while the residents are trying to reform. Had God wanted, He could have made people follow a single religion, but He did not intend so for reasons known to Him. Thus, people will continue to have differences except those upon whom the Lord has mercy: who follow the teachings of the prophets. As for the rest, i.e. those who reject the message of God, He will punish them in Hell. Verse 120 The objectives of Quranic stories1. Consoling Prophet Muhammad. 2. Sending truth to Prophet Muhammad. 3. Advice and a reminder to the believers. Verses 121-123 Practical benefits from the stories of messengers1. God has absolute and complete knowledge of time and space - what is observable and what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and of the past and the present. 2. Everything returns to God in the life to come. The creation cannot interfere in it. 3. Therefore, God must be worshipped and relied upon. 4. God knows our actions and our statements. The good works of the obedient shall not go to waste and the rejection of the stubborn will not be forgotten. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||
| 10. Surah Yonas | سورة يونس | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:35:40 | |
Chapter 10 of the Quran, entitled Jonah was revealed in Mecca. It takes its title from the reference to Prophet Jonah in verse 98 and concentrates primarily on the Oneness of God. This chapter emphasises God’s power and His anger towards those who consistently deny the truth of His revelations and signs. Prophet Muhammad is encouraged to be patient and to be aware that he is unable to force the people to believe. Verses 1 – 10 A book of wisdomThese are the verses from a wise book says God. It is a book full of wisdom that holds the decision about all matters. Why then do people call the warner chosen from among themselves a sorcerer? God is the One who created all that is in the heavens and the earth in six periods of time (Day is the word used here but it is not the 24 hour period as we know it). He then established Himself upon the Throne, overseeing and overlooking everything that is below Him. Worship Him, believers will be rewarded but those who refuse will taste the punishment. His signs are everywhere throughout the universe and they are not without purpose. Those who believe understand. Some pay no heed to the signs but their eternal home will be in the Fire. However those who are saved because of their faith will praise God. Verses 11 – 20 Who is the most wicked?If God was to hasten the punishment for those who deserve it, then their worldly life would be over but that is not His way. Instead he leaves the wrongdoers to wonder blindly in their ignorance. When a person is in need he calls out to God but when God removes the affliction he (the person) returns to disobedience as if he had never called upon God at all. Whole generations have been destroyed because of the evil they did. The messengers came but were ignored and abused. God observes the successive generations. When the Quran is recited to those who hold no hope of meeting God they ask Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessing of God be upon him, to bring a different or changed Quran. God tells Prophet Muhammad to tell them that it is not for him to change it. He (Prophet Muhammad) brings only what is revealed to him and he too fears a day of account. God asks who is more wicked than the one who invents lies against God or denies His signs!? Wrongdoers will never prosper. They worship things other than God that cannot harm or benefit them. God is far above those they associate with Him. Humankind was once one nation, but they differed. Only God knows the unseen, so wait for it to be revealed. Verses 21 – 30 God invites you to ParadisePeople call upon God when they are suffering but plot and scheme against Him when they are returned to comfort. When they are returned to God He will tell them the result of the schemes. People think they have some power over the life of this world but it is God’s decree that will come to pass. The signs are there for those who choose to reflect. God invites everyone to the Home of Peace (Paradise) and guides whomever He wills to the straight path. Those who do good will have a good reward; they are the companions of Paradise. And those who do evil will find an evil outcome in the Fire. On the Day of Judgment, those who worshipped other than God will find that their false deities deny all knowledge of their worship and behavior. Some are not even aware that they are being worshipped and those who consented to be worshipped will lie and deny it. Verses 31 – 40 Who will believe?God addresses the disbelievers asking who provides for you, who allows you to see and hear, who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges every matter? They answer God but why then do they not take heed? God is the Giver of life, the one who can end creation but then bring it all back again. Can any of the associates you turn to do that? No they cannot. What is wrong with people? The One who guides to the truth is more worthy to be followed then those who do not. God is All-Knowing and it is not possible for this Quran to have been produced by anyone but God. It is a confirmation of what came before it. If people say that Prophet Muhammad invented the Quran then ask them to bring forth a chapter like it. They are not able to do so even when they ask for assistance. They cannot grasp the truth because they have not seen its prophecies fulfilled. The Quran shows the end waiting for the disbelievers. Some will believe but some will not. God knows who causes corruption. Verses 41 – 56 Losers in the HereafterGod tells Prophet Muhammad what to say if they deny him - "For me are my deeds, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do." There are some that listen but Muhammad cannot cause the deaf to hear, there are some who look but he cannot cause the blind to see. God does not wrong people but people wrong themselves. On the Day of Judgement people will feel as if they have been in this world for an hour or less and they will recognise one another. Those who denied this meeting will be the losers. All will return to God and this will happen whether Prophet Muhammad sees the punishment fall or not. For every nation there is a messenger. When the messenger comes they will be judged and there will be no injustice. There is an appointed time for every community and when it is reached it cannot be delayed or hastened. On the Day of Judgement there is no way out for the disbelievers. They have denied it for so long, will they even believe it when it overtakes them? They will be told to taste the punishment, God’s promise is true. He gives life, and causes death. To Him we will all be returned. Verses 57 – 60 Guidance has comeInstruction from God has been given to humankind; it is a mercy, a cure, and guidance. Tell them, Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that these things are a blessing and better for humankind than all the riches of this world that they try to accumulate. Ask them to think about the provisions that have been sent down by God. He has made some lawful and others unlawful, why then do some people change the rules and try to make the illicit permissible? Has God given permission for this or are you inventing a lie about God? How will this be dealt with on the Day of Judgment? Think. God is indeed full of grace towards humankind but most people are ungrateful. Verses 61 – 67 God witnesses everythingWhatever matters people are engaged in, from reading the Quran to the mundane, God is a witness to it and it is all, the large and the small of it, recorded in a book. Not even a speck, the weight of dust escapes God’s knowledge, and it is kept in a clear record. For those who believe and fear God there will be no fear; they will receive good tidings both in this world and the Hereafter. God tells Prophet Muhammad not to let the words of the unbelievers grieve him. God is All-Powerful; All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. Those who call on other than God are following only assumptions and lies. God made the day and the night and surely this is a sign for those who listen to the message. Verses 68 – 70 The consequence of lying about GodSome people say that God has a son. He is free of all needs, the master of the heavens and the earth. They have no authority to make such a claim, why do they invent lies about God? Those who lie about God will not succeed, they may have some brief enjoyment in this world but in the Hereafter they will face severe punishment. Verses 71 – 86 Stories from the pastTell the people about the story of Noah. He said to his people, "If my presence among you reminds you too much of that which you do not wish to hear about God’s signs and warnings then do what you will. But let it be clear and decisive. Remember however that I have not asked for any kind of payment, my reward is from God alone. I am among those commanded to worship Him Alone." They did not listen, they rejected Noah. God saved him and those with him in the ship. Those who denied the signs were left to drown. Then God sent others, each to their own people. They came with clear evidences but the succeeding generations were persistent in their disbelief. Moses and Aaron were sent to Pharaoh and his people but they behaved arrogantly towards them and their message. Moses said, "Do you think I bring you magic; because magicians will never succeed." Haughtily Pharaoh called for all the magicians in the land and Moses exposed the worthlessness of their magic. God does not promote the work of mischief makers. Nobody believed Moses except some of the youth amongst his own people; most of the people were too scared of Pharaoh’s regime. Moses asked the believers to put their trust in God and they prayed to Him to release them from the hands of the unjust people. Verses 87 – 95 DeliveranceGod revealed to Moses and Aaron that they should take their people to Egypt where they would build their houses and establish the prayer. Moses then prayed that the wealth and splendour of Pharaoh’s people be taken away from them. Obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts he asked. God said that this prayer would be answered and told Moses to remain steadfast. So Moses led his people across the sea; Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them until they were drowned. At the very last minute Pharaoh said that he believed in the God of Moses and that he submitted to Him but God replied, "Now?" God saved his body but not his life so that he may be a sign for those that come after him. Many people still fail to heed the signs. The people of Moses were settled in a good place and were provided with the things required for a good life. They did not differ amongst themselves until after knowledge had come to them but on the Day of Judgment God will judge between the things they failed to agree on. Prophet Muhammad had complete certainty in that which was revealed to him. Even if the People of the Book do not give heed to your call, they will still find evidence of you in their books. Verses 96 – 103 Forced conversion is prohibitedThere are many for whom the love of this world has sealed their hearts and eyes. They cannot see the signs in front of their faces. They will not believe. No town ever saw the scourge then believed and it profited them except for the people of Jonah. When they believed the punishment was removed, and they had enjoyment, for a time. If God had so willed all the people on the earth would have believed. Prophet Muhammad is asked if he would compel the people, against their will to believe. Belief comes only by the will of God and He disgraces those who will not use their common sense. Tell the people to see the signs in the heavens and the earth but no signs will convince those who will not believe. God asks the question, "What are they waiting for?" In the end God will save the messengers and the believers, that is God’s way and He says that it is only right that He saves those who believe. Verses 104 – 109 Guidance has arrived, so chooseProphet Muhammad is commanded by God to say, "People, doubt my religion if you will, I will never worship those you worship other than God, but I worship God who will cause you to die, and I am commanded to be a believer". He is further commanded to dedicate himself to the religion and not to be amongst those who associate others with God. God says you will not pray to others because they cannot benefit or harm you and if you do you will surely be one of the losers. If God afflicts you with a calamity, none can remove it but He; and if He intends to bestow a favour, none can withhold His bounty. He bestows it on whoever He pleases; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Prophet Muhammad is further told to tell the people that the truth has come. Whoever chooses to follow the right path does so for his own benefit and whoever strays does so at his own risk. I (Muhammad) am not set over you to oblige you for guidance. God tells Prophet Muhammad to follow what has been revealed to him and to be patient until God judges. He is the best of judges. May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship. Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love. May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him. Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah. 🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan Email: read.alfurqan@gmail.com | |||